Anna Hazare ‘suspends’ proposed hunger strike against Maha govt's wine sale policy
The social activist said on Sunday the state govt has assured him it will consider citizens' views before going ahead with the decision to allow sale of wine at walk-in stores and supermarkets.
Social activist Anna Hazare, who announced last week he will sit on an indefinite hunger strike from February 14 against the Maharashtra government's policy to allow sale of wine at walk-in stores and supermarkets, declared on Sunday he has ‘suspended’ the strike as the state government has assured him it will consider citizens' views before going ahead with the decision.
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“I informed the villagers that the government has decided to put up the cabinet's decision before citizens for their suggestions and objections and only after their approval, a final decision will be taken. Hence, I have decided to suspend tomorrow's hunger strike,” Hazare said after a ‘gram sabha’ in his native village of Ralegan Siddhi in the state's Ahmednagar district.
During the interaction, Hazare also remarked that ‘wine is not the culture of our state,’ adding that the sale of liquor will ‘destroy our culture.’
“There are several beer bars, permit rooms and shops to sell wine, then why should the ruling dispensation sell it in supermarkets and grocery stores? Does it want to spread addiction?” he added.
People should be given at least three months to share their views, he suggested.
Earlier, the anti-corruption activist, who, in 2011, led the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement against the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre, wrote to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, demanding that the policy be scrapped ‘immediately.’
Under the policy, as announced by the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance--the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress--supermarkets and shops measuring 1,000 square feet and above can sell wine by paying a licence fee; however, norms in place for liquor sale will have to be followed.
(With PTI inputs)
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