Jamnalal Bajaj award winner and Gandhian Maan Singh Rawat has pledged to start an indefinite fast from November over the issue of political patronage to the liquor business in Uttarakhand.
Eminent Sarvodaya leader from the state Maan Singh Rawat, who has been recently conferred with prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj Award for his contribution in the field of constructive work asserted that he cannot see the younger generation of Uttarakhand getting spoilt due to liquor. He said tackling the liquor menace was big challenge in the state where the problem had risen to alarming proportions.
“What is the use of that revenue, where your coming generation is spoiled. Consumption and sale of liquor is destroying our society,” argued Maan Singh Rawat, who is in his late eighties and is credited with carrying out various anti-liquor agitations in the state. Rawat advocates a five-year comprehensive plan for the state for discouraging the people from taking to alcoholism.
“First of all we have to target schools, so that the young generation is kept away from this bad habit. It is important to inculcate values in them so that the alcohol menace in the state is checked,” Sarvodaya leader pointed out.
He favoured introduction of a pre-condition for recruitment of new employees in government departments to ensure that the person being inducted did not consume alcohol.
Rawat said he was happy that some states in the country had started taking measures to ensure that their younger generation did not take to alcoholism. Kerala has taken one such initiative, Uttarakhand should follow it.
Born on January 24, 1928 in Pauri Garhwal, Maan Singh Rawat was the first person from Uttarakhand region to do graduation from Tata Institute of Social Sciences , Mumbai way back in 1953. Rawat was actively involved in Bhoodan movement started by Acharya Vinoba Bhave. He also participated in the JP Movement. The President of India will present him with the prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj Award on November 4 in Mumbai.
