The Ahmedabad hooch tragedy has now the Modi government contemplating a move to make suitable changes in the existing Prohibition Act. While the state government formed a four-member inquiry commission headed by retired High Court Justice Kamal Mehta. In the past too after every hooch tragedy, inquiry commissions had recommended to the successive governments to either scrap the prohibition policy or make some sweeping changes in it. But, contrary to the recommendations, the present BJP government as well as the main Opposition Congress party are in favour of continuing the prohibition policy in this “dry” state. However, the Modi government is contemplating a move to make some suitable amendments in the existing Prohibition Act, so as to lend more teeth to it.

“To prevent hooch tragedies in Gujarat, the government has to amend the present prohibition laws, and also strengthen the provisions of the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) to deal with the violators of these laws,” sources in the CMO said on Friday.

Even Minister of State for Home Amit Shah believes so. “It is up to the Commission of Inquiry set up to probe the Ahmedabad hooch tragedy to suggest to the government what to do. The violators get away with just a six-month sentence or so under the existing prohibition laws in the state,” says the minister. Asserting that his government is against relaxing the prohibition policy, Shah argues, “Relaxation in dry laws in our state will not serve any purpose. Killer brew tragedies do not happen only in Gujarat. They take place even in non-prohibition states ”.

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