Anna Hazare not to sit on hunger strike against Maharashtra govt’s wine policy

Pune: Social activist Anna Hazare has decided to suspend his proposed hunger strike from Monday against the Maharashtra government’s decision permitting the sale of wine in supermarkets and grocery shops, saying the state government has assured it will take into consideration the views of citizens before going ahead with the policy.

A ‘gram sabha’ was held on Sunday in Hazare’s native Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahmednagar district.

“I told the villagers that now the state government has decided to put up the cabinet’s decision before citizens for their suggestions and objections and only after their nod, a final decision will be taken by the government. Hence, I have decided to suspend tomorrow’s hunger strike,” Hazare later said.

Some days back, Hazare had written a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying people of the state have demanded that the policy permitting sale of wine at supermarkets and walk-in shops be called back immediately.

On Sunday, during the meeting held in his village, Hazare said there are plenty of beer bars, permit rooms and shops to sell wine, then why the government wants to sell it in supermarkets and grocery stores?

Does it want to spread addiction? he asked.

“During a discussion with officials of the Maharashtra government, I had told them that I don’t feel like living in the state, following which the government started re-thinking about its decision,” the activist claimed.

Hazare said wine is not the culture of Maharashtra, where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and saint Tukaram Maharaj once lived.

“The wine sale in supermarkets will destroy our culture,” he said.

Hazare said when the state government officials came to meet him, he told them that they should have taken people’s views into consideration before deciding on the wine policy.

There is democracy here, and not a dictatorship. Hence, the decision should be taken only after inviting suggestions and objections from citizens, and people should be given three months’ time to put forth their views, he said.