The Ahmedabad hooch tragedy ? in which the toll has crossed 100 – now has the Narendra Modi government contemplating a move to make changes in the existing Prohibition Act.
The state government has formed a four-member inquiry commission headed by retired High Court Justice Kamal Mehta. In the past too after every hooch tragedy in the state, inquiry commissions have recommended to successive governments to either scrap the prohibition policy or make sweeping changes.
Contrary to the recommendations of these inquiry commissions, however, the present BJP regime as well as the main Opposition Congress party in Gujarat are in favour of continuing the prohibition policy in this state. The Modi government?s move to make amendments in the existing Prohibition Act is aimed at adding more teeth to it.
Says minister of state for home Amit Shah, ?Though it is up to the Commission of Inquiry set up to probe the Ahmedabad hooch tragedy to suggest to the government what to do (to prevent such tragedies), violators get away with just a six-month sentence or so under the existing prohibition laws in the state?.
Asserting that his government is against doing away with the prohibition policy or relaxing it, Shah argues, ?Relaxation in dry laws in our state will not serve any purpose. Killer brew tragedies do not happen only in Gujarat. They take place even in non-prohibition states in the country?.
At present, the Opposition Congress may have locked horns with the ruling BJP on the issue of the Ahmedabad hooch tragedy. But, Leader of Opposition Shahktisinh Gohil also endorses the home minister?s views on the prohibition policy.
?The Congress believes in Gandhiji?s ideology, and would always favour the prohibition policy in Gujarat. There is no question of either scrapping or relaxing the existing prohibition laws.?
Major hooch tragedies in Gujarat: Lessons unlearnt
•The first hooch tragedy occurred in the Sarangpur Daulatkhana locality of Ahmedabad in 1977, as many as 101 people lost their lives, another 215 were affected. An inquiry commission, headed by chief justice (retired) NM Miyabhoy, observed that the prohibition policy in Gujarat was a failure. Miyabhoy recommended that a special cell be set up under direct supervision of the state?s DGP to initiate action against corrupt prohibition officials
•The next major tragedy took place in Vadodara in 1989, claiming 132 lives and affecting 200 others. An inquiry commission headed by Justice (retired) A A Dave of Gujarat High Court was set up. Justice Dave recommended to the then Congress government to abolish the prohibition policy or make suitable changes in it. The government, however, rejected this recommendation
•17 people died and 115 others were hospitalised in the hooch tragedy in Sutrapada of Junagadh, 1990
•The July 7, 2009 tragedy in Ahmedabad where the death toll has crossed the 100 mark