Lucknow, Nov 2 (IANS): After losing his son to liver cirrhosis due to excessive drinking of liquor, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kaushal Kishore and his wife have decided to launch a campaign to save youth from getting addicted to alcohol.
The BJP MP lost his son Akash a fortnight ago due to cirrhosis of the liver, caused by excessive consumption of liquor. The MP and his wife now plan to start a campaign to save youth from getting addicted to liquor from December 3.
Kaushal Kishore, MP from Mohanlalganj and his wife Jaya Devi, a BJP MLA from Malihabad, will administer a pledge for saying 'no to liquor' to a thousand youths on the day.
Cirrhosis is late-stage damage of the liver caused by a variety of factors, with chronic alcoholism being among the leading causes, say doctors.
The MP said that he intends to run it as a regular campaign under which each of these thousand youths would be asked to take forward the campaign.
"One of the biggest regrets of my life is that I got so many youths to give up liquor, but failed to do so with my own son.
Liquor ruined his life. He has left behind his wife and a two-year-old son. I tried very hard to make him give up the habit but failed. When I was admitted for the coronavirus infection, that time my son again resumed his drinking and it proved fatal. I have lost my son, but now I do not want any parent to suffer from this pain," said Kishore," he told reporters.
Kaushal's son, Aakash Kishore, died on September 19.
The BJP MP said his three other sons would also be part of the apolitical campaign that would be launched from December 3.
He further said, "We need to motivate youths to be able to say no to those who entice them to join the club of alcoholics. I want to build it into a nationwide movement, and for that purpose, we have decided to take Rs 100 from each person who commits himself for the cause."
Kaushal Kishore, while praising Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's decision to ban liquor in his state, said that the drive to give up drinking comes from within and prohibition will not be of much help if an individual does not want to give up liquor.
"It is the first time that one needs to stay strong. This strength can come from consciousness and from the realisation that liquor has claimed lives, destroyed families," he said.
Both Kaushal and his wife have also taken to social media to inform people about their proposed campaign.