MP tribals to get right to brew, sell ‘mahua’ liquor, says CM

Mandla: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said his government was charting out a new excise policy enabling tribals to brew liquor from ‘mahua’ (Madhuca) flowers in the traditional way and sell it.

He was addressing a tribal gathering marking the wrap-up of the week-long Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, which started on November 15 to coincide with the birth anniversary of revered tribal leader and freedom fighter Birsa Munda.

”The tribes in the country and MP have a glorious past, and tribal heroes played a very important role in the freedom struggle. The British made all efforts to end the pride of our tribes. We are going to restore it,” he said.

Earlier, Chouhan laid the foundation stone of the work of installing the statues of Gond tribal king Shankar Shah and Raghunath Shah, who were blown to pieces by the British on September 18, 1857, after they revolted during the first freedom struggle.

The cost of erecting the statues will be Rs 50 lakh, the CM added.