By Haresh Jhala

Ahmedabad, Jul 30 (IANS): The state has lived with prohibition for the last 60 years, but since the last one decade a campaign is being run to lift prohibition in Gujarat. It started with one, today the campaigners have the support of 35,000 people on Facebook and Rajiv Patel is hopeful of getting lakhs of votes for lifting prohibition if there is a referendum on the issue.

A realtor and art curator Rajiv Patel has penned a book, "Gujarat Biggest Lie" in which he has exposed the myths of the benefits of prohibition. Speaking to IANS, Rajiv said: "The state government is not only losing revenue, but if it relaxes prohibition, the revenue collected from the liquor trade can be used to generate employment and increase budget allocations for health and education infrastructure."

His allegation is that the politicians, bureaucracy and police are hand in glove in ruining the state in the name of prohibition. Because of prohibition thousands of people die after drinking poor quality or illicit liquor. Hooch tragedies are byproducts with an agenda to create sympathy and lobby for prohibition, so that the Rs one lakh crore parallel economy runs without hindrance.

The state government is demanding Rs 9,000 crore from the Central government as a financial package for implementing prohibition, said Patel and informed that Tamil Nadu earned revenue to the tune of Rs 36,000 crore in 2021-22 from the liquor trade. Now just imagine if Gujarat lifts prohibition how much the state will earn, because his information is that Gujaratis drink more liquor than Punjabis.

If the state's revenues increase it will be able to spend more on the social sectors and services, which is undermined by people who promote prohibition, is the reading of Patel. His observation is that more people die in Gujarat than Kashmir because of prohibition in the state.

A myth is marketed that women are safe in Gujarat because of prohibition, as if women are unsafe in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other states where liquor is allowed, says Kruti Shah, a working woman, who believes prohibition should be lifted.

As far as domestic violence is concerned, Kruti tells women from the poor and low income groups to confront males. She also argues that if prohibition is lifted, it will create more direct and indirect job opportunities for this segment too and if their income increases, domestic issues will end in the long run.