Leader of the Opposition Shahktisinh Gohil also endorses the Home Minister’s views on the prohibition policy.“The Congress believes in Gandhiji’s ideology. There is no question of either scrapping or relaxing the existing prohibition laws. We may be losing about Rs 3,000 crore in excise duty, but it has had tremendous positive impact on our civil society,” the Opposition Congress leader contended.

In Gujarat, at least three other major hooch tragedies have taken place in the last three decades or so, with as many inquiry commissions.

Lessons not learnt

• The first hooch tragedy had occurred in the Sarangpur Daulatkhana locality of Ahmedabad in 1977, in which as many as 101 people had lost their lives and another 215 had been affected. An inquiry commission, headed by Chief Justice (retired) N M Miyabhoy, observed that the prohibition policy in Gujarat was a failure. Citing police corruption as a major problem, Miyabhoy recommended to the government that a special cell be set up under direct supervision of the state’s DGP to initiate action against corrupt prohibition officials.

• The next major tragedy took place in Vadodara in 1989, claiming 132 lives and affecting 200 others. An inquiry commission headed by Justice (retd) A A Dave recommended to the then Congress-ruled Government in Gujarat to either abolish the prohibition policy or make suitable changes in it: “If the prohibition policy is scrapped, it will not only help reduce (prohibition-related) cases of corruption, but also the funds the government spends on its implementation could be utilised on the welfare of the poor.” The government rejected this recommendation.

... contd.