It’s like a thatched conical mud house,
lined with dry hay and grains stored within.
Besides the utility of
storage of grains free from pests and humidity, it’s a symbol of security, prosperity
and pride. Still, in Villages, we count the number of “Baykhari” one has before
giving our daughters in their family.
My Late father used to tell me, that during the late sixties
the Congress government came with a rule that, all farmers have to sell their grains
to the government and government only. One was allowed to keep only a few sacks
of grains in their house, just for consumption.
The police along with the
concerned department used to raid farmer’s premises, take all the grains stored
and destroy the “Baykhari”. Thereby destroying ages old, a functioning system of
agro storage and agrarian balance. Destroying also their prosperity, ages old
symbol of pride and chances of a good bride for their sons.
Please find a relevant article here: http://ccs.in/parking-space-poor-restrictions-imposed-marketing-movement-agricultural-goods-india
Of course, it didn’t last long, as farmers stopped growing;
there was scarcity of food and famine followed. It was overzealous socialism
and governments perceived morality of spoon feeding the poor nation called
India.
In a similar move, the State of Bihar, through its elected members
of legislative assembly, unopposed. One
fine morning decided that the Bar in my house, a symbol of prosperity and
pride, is an illegal Silo and the contents of it, acquired with so much of
effort, through various travels, is dangerous for the poor people of this state,
also immoral.
Not much has changed since then it seems. As the Nitish Kumar Government in Bihar,
imposes complete ban on alcohol, not a single individual or group or civil
society opposed it or even showed some signs of resistance.
It’s a staged performance, paid by the tax payers’ money, as these
groups run state sponsored NGO’s, some of them housed in govt. buildings.
Undoubtedly, inebriated men had become a social nuisance in
Bihar, especially in villages during last 10 years.
Shri Kumar was the CM for these years. The booze
shops increased from mere couple of hundreds to over 6000. Shops were allowed
to have a drinking area too, even allowed to operate in residential and
educational area. Mr. Kumar’s logic was
the govt. needs the revenue. The revenue shot up from 150 crores to 4000
crores.
Then, like the Great Samrat Asoka, Nitish had a change of
heart and like Asoka, from the great warrior and war monger became the most
powerful preacher of Buddhism and peace.
Nitish wishes to become the preacher of
prohibition.
Like Asoka, learnt that
wars never get over and are expensive way to remain a renowned king, piggy
backing on Buddha would make him immortal.
Nitish would make this a national
issue and walk his way to the immortal chair of the Indian Prime Minister.
Asoka did succeed to a large extent, time shall tell about Shri Kumar.
But, Sir Ji, Wars didn’t stop after Asoka and neither will the
flow of alcohol, after you try to piggy back Gandhi.
Yesterday, one of my co-villagers was arrested from his
house, consuming his daily dose of whiskey. Arrested under section 47(a) of Excise laws. We were told someone complained, thus his house
was raided. To know later, Panchayat elections
are due and people are settling scores. That’s how law takes its selective
turn.
The punishment is 5 to 10 years of prison for possessing,
consuming or manufacturing of alcohol and in some cases death sentence too. Now
that’s what we call a resolve.
The state
goes to sleep at 9 pm now. Clubs and hotels have halved their staff. People packing for Delhi and other
places. Marriages, parties, seminars are being
postponed, cancelled or moved away to other destinations.
I am sure all these people were drunkards and a bane to the
Bihari society, better in other places than here. Laloo
during his arrogant days, made sure that the trader community got out of this
state, leaving behind caste ridden backward and prejudiced society, a fit place
to run by a nincompoop. Still, he knew his basics well; he liberated toddy and
the Pasi community from the socialist congress and removed the licensing on the
age old profession.
The other day, I happened to travel with my journalist friend
for a story on the effect of the ban on the lives of the Pasi community. We went to the houses of those tree climbers,
their women were in tears, there was no food for last few days, as these people
earn on a daily basis. Even a single day without work has direct effect on
their stomach. Police has been harassing
them and breaking their utensils. Even their political leaders have abandoned their
cause as they are a part of the govt. and the unanimous passing of the legislation.
Initially, the ban was supposed to be in two phases, first
was ban on so called country liquor, which is nothing but flavored alcohol made
out of simple distilled molasses spirit.
Later, it might have been extended to so called IMFL, whatever, that means
its branded booze. Also, now, the state beverage corporation would sell them
from their own 650 shops across state.
The aggrieved manufacturers and shop owners
had gone to court, seeking injustice, main argument being, if booze is bad,
even IMFL is booze, why should country liquor be singled out.
Does it mean,
rich have the right to drink and poor don’t?
On the 5th of April,
the case was up for hearing, a day before that, some 50 state run shops that
were to open weren’t allowed by the vigilant citizens, as they were being
opened in residential areas. The mood was set for anti booze. Mr. Kumar realized
his weak wicket, before the court went to hearing they decided to implement
full ban.
Putting the parties on back
foot. Now, they would have to go to the drawing board again. He cited that, there was immense support from
the masses for prohibition.
Thick skin Politicians have a knack for making hay
in adverse situations.
The Bihar Booze industry which was almost an 80K crores
business, suddenly had no takers. As if no one knew who was drinking all that
stuff.
There are mainly two reasons why everyone kept quiet. Primarily,
the issue of morality, perceived misplaced hypocrite morality.
Not to call a
spade a spade is a civil society norm.
Second, no one wants
to be seen on the wrong side of the law.
When Nitish was on a liquor shop
opening spree in 2006, the aggrieved, especially the women of the house, kept
quiet and let it happen. The law was supporting the drinking business.
Now, he is closing all shops and putting
drinkers behind bars, the law supports thus better to keep quiet.
For a society to flourish, dissent is the most important ingredient. What we have since ages instead, is hope
filled yes Sayers, some have vested interest and some are just too lazy to
dissent.
They are hopeful that good things will eventually come forth.
Oh! They will, but with your dissent.
What shall eventually happen is, bootlegging and mafia and deep
rooted nexus and very powerful certain group of people and some real hooch tragedy death and death of a society.
Good men sipping their adulterated scotches in steel glasses in quiet corners of their homes, reliant on goons for their supply and the goons shall sit on the sprawling lawns of MLA quarters and gulpthe real thing.
As for me, its Dava Daru.
A co - villager told me a certain remarkable thing. “It’s called DAVA - DARU” meaning
Medicine and liquor go together. One has
to have Daru like a Dava, Alcohol like medicine, in the right
dose, not less not more for good health.
