How wonderful it is to know that the Supreme Court is concerned about the health of the nation, especially of its youth. About time someone prodded and pushed the government into improving the disastrous healthcare and health infrastructure in the country, did you think? But no, the apex court feels general public health would be vastly improved if people, instead of counting their drinks, kept them at zero. Spoken like a true teetotaller! Never mind that even health experts claim that in moderation, certain alcoholic drinks could actually be good for our hearts.
The Supreme Court has taken this moral high ground on the factually correct position that there exists a directive principle in the Constitution saying that that shunning alcohol should be the nation’s goal. Again its observation that the “younger generation” is drinking more is correct. But directive principles are recommendatory, and no state, barring Gujarat, seems keen to follow the clause inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.
What is surprising, however, is that the apex court has not thought it fit to call on the authorities to crack down on the blatant violation of the law by serving liquor to underage people in various bars in the country, especially in the capital. Many regularly serve alcohol to even schoolchildren, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why certain pubs located close to schools begin their ‘happy hours’ at around the same time that school gets dismissed.