Bhopal, Jan 24 (IANS): Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh on Friday announced a ban on the sale and consumption of liquor at 17 prominent religious sites.
The religious sites where liquor would be banned are located in different districts, including Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, Orchha (temple of Raja Ram, Amarkantak (on the bank of Narmada River), Chitrakoot in Satna district and others.
The decision in this regard was taken during a special cabinet meeting held in Maheshwar in the Khargone district to mark the 300th birth anniversary year of Ahilyabai Holkar, the 18th-century ruler ofthe Holkar dynasty. Maheshwar was the kingdom of the Holkar dynasty.
"In a special cabinet meeting held in Maheshwar today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, a decision was taken to ban liquor at various religious places in the state," the Madhya Pradesh government said in a statement on Friday.
The new liquor policy will be implemented from April 1. With this partial ban, Madhya Pradesh joined the dry states -- Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland, and Mizoram along with Union Territory (UT) Lakshadweep. With this, around 50 liquor shops operating in these religious sites would be shut permanently, due to which the government will lose excise revenue of up to Rs 450 crore.
Excise revenue for the financial year 2024-25 is projected at Rs 15,000 crore. On the loss of excise revenue from the liquor ban, Chief Minister Yadav said the government has various other resources for revenue and the loss would be compensated from there.
"When the matter is related to public interest and religious faith, such decisions become more important. The government has various other revenue resources and I am confident that loss will be compensated," Yadav told IANS.
Notably, prohibition on liquor has been a political weapon within the Madhya Pradesh BJP. Saffron leaders, including former CM Uma Bharti, have often questioned the government of her own party for showing reluctance to put ban on the sale of liquor. Last year, Bharti had even pelted stones at liquor shops in Bhopal and protested against liquor shops operating near schools and religious places.
Interestingly, former Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur also raised her voice against the sale of liquor in the state.