Imphal: All Manipur Women’s Social Reformation and Development Samaj (Nupi Samaj), while reiterating its demand for roll back of the government’s decision to lift prohibition, sets October 10 as a deadline for a positive response from the government.
The powerful women based organisation has been organizing a series of sit-in-protest against the government’s decision to legalize brewing and sales of liquor in the state.
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Talking to reporters at one such protest staged at Mayang Langjing in Imphal West district, advisor of Nupi Samaj, K Indu demanded that the state government should halt the attempt to amend the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act, 1991. So far the womenfolk were voicing against the legalization of the liquor with peaceful democratic forms of protest. However, no positive response was received from the government till date.
“If the government fails to give a positive response by revoking its decision to legalize liquor by October 10, Nupi Samaj is ready to launch intense forms of agitations along with local women bodies,” she warned. The members of the Nupi Samaj may also resort to fast unto-death agitations, she added.
The cabinet, in one of its meetings on September 20 last, had decided to partially lift the ban on brewing, consumption and sale of liquor to boost the state’s revenue as well as minimize health hazards caused by the consumption of adulterated alcohol.
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The decision received strong objections from various sections of the society. Many civil society organizations, particularly women based, are strongly opposing the decision. Local women based bodies have been staging sit-in-protests against the decision in their respective localities.
The Nupi Samaj advisor asserted that women have been fighting against drugs and alcohol since 1970 and many have sacrificed their lives for the cause in due course.
NNN