Karnataka: Women march for 400 kms demanding prohibition of liquor in the state 

Hundreds of women walked over 400 kms to reach the state capital Wednesday, January 30, demanding a blanket ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in Karnataka.

Beginning their march from Raichur on January 19, the women under the banner of Madya Nishedha Andolana converged to the city via Peenya and gathered at the Malleswaram ground here.

The police, however, prevented them from going to the Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power.

"We chose this day, the January 30, to remind the government that Mahatma Gandhi sacrificed his life for this nation.

His wish was to see a liquor-free society.

It's sad that the government considers liquor as a source of income and not as a social evil," said Papamma, a women activist from Kolar while addressing the crowd.

Taking a jibe at the people at the helm, Papamma said that it is surprising that the educated policymakers have no clue to the ill effects of liquor which even an illiterate person is well aware of.

Former MLA B R Patil said he wholeheartedly supported the prohibition demand.

He pointed out that he had raised this issue with the then chief minister Siddaramaiah but that no action was taken to this effect.

Speaking on the occasion, theatre artist Arundhati Nag highlighted that the Bihar government had to bow to the people's demand for imposing ban on sale of liquor.

The Karnataka government cannot ignore this demand, she said.

In a tragic incident, one of the participants Renukamma from Khairavadagi village was killed in a road accident on Monday near Bengaluru.

A Lingayat seer Swami Panditaradhya said the "indifferent" state government has chosen to turn a blind eye to the demand.