Members of various organisations, activists and religious heads under the banner of Nasha Mukt Bharat Jagruti Andolana Samiti, gathered at Gandhi Statue near Town Hall here on Monday, when Gandhi Jayanti was celebrated, and launched an awareness campaign to press the BJP-led government at the Centre to ban liquor by introducing stringent laws to ensure de-addiction.
Aland MLA B.R. Patil said that Gandhi’s vision of a free India included a society that is free from the harmful effects of intoxicating alcohol and drugs.
However, the ground reality is quite different, with an increasing number of youths succumbing to addiction. The legislator stressed the need for creating awareness on the ill-effects of consuming alcohol to build an India as Gandhi wanted.
Activists R.K. Hudgi and Ravindra Shahabadi said that the members of organisations will conduct awareness programmes in rural areas to educate people about the disadvantages of alcohol consumption.
When other States have been successful in banning sales of alcohol completely, why not Karnataka, Mr. Hudgi asked.
