Lok Satta organizing satyagraha by women victims of liquor

The Lok Satta Party is organizing a satyagraha by women victims of the liquor menace from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday, February 1 at Picket Grounds beside Jubilee Bus Stand in Secunderabad. Lok Satta Party leaders including its national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan and State President Katari Srinivasa Rao will take part in the protest action.

This was announced at a media conference here today by Katari Srinivasa Rao.

A random survey conducted by Lok Satta volunteers revealed that 99 percent of men in nearly in 3000 bastis or slums in Hyderabad have become addicts by consuming liquor every day. With menfolk squandering away their daily income on liquor, women are forced to run the families by working as domestic helps. The liquor menace has left the poor families in deep debts and deprived children of good education and nutritious food. More shockingly, 30 percent of women in slums have become widows at a young age with their spouses dying of diseases triggered by liquor consumption. Some have died in accidents while some others have committed suicide. Thirty percent of widows drawing Government pension happen to be victims of their spouses’ liquor addiction.

The Lok Satta would deem all deaths caused by liquor consumption as murders committed by the Government since it is responsible for turning people addicts.

The Lok Satta demands that the Government open de-addiction centres in every constituency and treat the addicts as in-patients and wean them away from booze. All widows of liquor addicts should be paid a monthly pension of Rs.2000 and their children admitted to Government residential schools. The Government should ensure livelihood opportunities and provide security to all women victims of the liquor menace.