Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Reservation and Prohibition' that was published in Newsband

Reservation and Prohibition

Yes, there should be total prohibition. Our government does understand the social consequences of alcohol consumption. But banning the sale and consumption of alcohol has, in this country’s experience, not been an effective check against its use. It has only criminalised the activity, with disastrous consequences. It has given birth to bootlegging, liquor mafias, spurious liquor etc. It also deprives States of an important source of revenue.

Governments must concentrate first on reducing consumption (creating De addiction centres and awareness about social problems caused by alcohol consumption) instead of making useless "prohibition laws".

Prohibition is undoubtedly good and it has been tried and imposed by various State Governments from time to time and none of them have been fully successful. At present there is a wave where the State Governments are vying with each other in imposing complete or partial prohibition. Kerala and Bihar have announced certain policies. Gujarat is having complete prohibition but bootlegging and sale of illicit liquor has not stopped causing deaths from spurious hooch. Most of the State governments are having a huge revenue from liqour thus making it possible for implementation of social benefitted programs.

Prohibition policy adopted by the States have to be pragmatic one whereby the States may not lose the revenue and at the same time there would be widespread awareness about ill effect of drinking. Strict vigilance and enforcement is needed to stop and punish the ones involved in illicit distilling. The states should gradually keep on reducing the timings and number of liquor shops.

We cannot eradicate evils by banning them. If we could have done that there would be no corruption in the country especially at the highest level.

After reservation, prohibition is next populist slogan. Reservation has already shown its bad side (though the politicians are not ready to accept these) by making a wide divide between various castes. Now no caste is hesitant to declare itself backward just to take "undue" advantages of reservation. Prohibition will also go the same way. This will only promote spurious alcohol and cheap but dangerous drugs. Real beneficiaries will be smugglers, bad politicians and neighbouring states where there is no prohibition. Above all, it will make the state beg to the centre to compensate the huge losses it will incur.