Real face of appeasement of opposition parties exposed in Lakshadweep

Opposition parties do not want to miss any opportunity to get vote bank. Of course, for this, why should they not have to resort to discrimination, religion-caste and other such issues. The Bharatiya Janata Party has been exposing this pseudo policy of the opposition parties. This is the face of opposition parties in Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Opposition parties are opposing the proposal to remove liquor ban in the state. This opposition of the opposition parties is to woo the minority vote bank. While the Lakshadweep administration is considering a proposal to remove liquor ban in this state in view of the convenience and demand of tourists. The Lakshadweep administration has published a draft Excise Regulation Bill and sought suggestions from local residents on allowing the sale and consumption of liquor in the archipelago. Congress, NCP and other opposition parties are united in opposing this proposal. Opposition parties argue that 97 per cent of Lakshadweep’s population is Muslim, who believe that consumption of alcohol is against their culture and religious tradition. In 1979, the sale of alcohol was banned in the islands.

To meet the demand of international tourists, alcohol is served in the resorts of Bangaram, an uninhabited island. The administration has made a provision to allow liquor in the new five-star hotels to be built on the island. The posting of Excise Commissioner is proposed in the draft bill. The draft bill proposes to appoint excise commissioner and supporting staff to monitor and regulate the sale and consumption of liquor. A board of experts shall be constituted to advise the Administrator on technical or legal issues relating to the manufacture, sale and consumption of liquor. Subject to the provisions of the Regulation, the Commissioner of Excise may grant a license or lease to manufacture and sell by wholesale or retail within any local area. The administration has the right to order the closure of liquor shops, but the number of closed days in a license year shall not exceed seven days in aggregate or more than three consecutive days.

Significantly, the Samajwadi Party, a major constituent of the opposition Ekta India, and its supported Muslim organizations had opposed the Yogi government’s decision to ban the sale of liquor and meat in Mathura. Shahida petition was filed by a Muslim social worker in the Allahabad High Court against this decision of the Yogi government. The High Court rejected the PIL filed against the ban on the sale of liquor and meat by the state government in 22 wards of Mathura-Vrindavan. The court dismissed the petition saying that India is a country of diversities. If unity is to be maintained in the country, then respect for all communities and religions is very important. Despite the diversities in our country, unity is the beauty here.

After banning liquor in Bihar in 2016, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar advocated complete prohibition in Uttar Pradesh, which was immediately criticized by the ruling Samajwadi Party. The Samajwadi Party accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of making “negative comments against the state” and thus “strengthening communal forces”. The Samajwadi Party argued that his comments against the government would encourage communal forces, against whom the North The state government is fighting.It is a different matter that despite making each other cry on such sensitive issues, both the parties are now vigorously engaged in the exercise of opposition unity.

The condition of pseudo-secularism is that not only the political parties but also the actors are not far behind in this. The fundamentalist Muslims of Lakshadweep did not allow the shooting of ‘Anarkali’, but for actor Prithviraj all was well there. Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran also came out in defense of the ‘majority’ of Lakshadweep against the opening of liquor shops, who himself faced a lot of opposition from the hardliners of the same island behind the shooting of his film ‘Anarkali’. Certainly the disadvantages of drinking are well known. But supporting or opposing this issue just for the sake of votes on the basis of one-sided religion and culture exposes the reality of the opposition parties. This is the reason why the BJP has been attacking the opposition parties because of such double standards. The opposition parties could never establish a consensus on issues like corruption including social, religious. Every party has been changing its policies according to its convenience and vote bank politics. This is the reason why the opposition parties have been on the target of the BJP. When the opposition parties do not take policy decisions on broad issues of public interest and country’s interest, it is difficult for the common people to maintain trust in them. Due to this BJP also gets a chance. It is expected that in the third meeting of the opposition parties to be held in Mumbai, a concrete decision will be taken on issues related to public interest. Changing policies according to convenience will have to be left to the opposition parties. However, the results of the two meetings of the opposition parties have been limited to reconciliation only. In these meetings, only the new name of the opposition unity, India, could be decided. It remains to be seen in what new form the opposition parties present before the country in the Mumbai meeting, BJP is also waiting for the same thing so that new weapons of accusations can be sharpened.

– Yogendra Yogi