By IANS
Patna : Hundreds of schoolchildren took to the streets here Saturday to protest against the Bihar government's new liquor policy that allows alcohol vends to be opened every eight kilometres.
With placards and banners, the students of Al-Hira Public School, aged between five and 15 years, gathered on the busy Fraser Road for hours. They demanded a ban on the sale of liquor at public places.
The state government introduced the liquor policy early this month to generate revenue worth Rs.7 billion annually. The policy allows a reduction in the fee for opening beer bars and factories. It will also permit the sale of liquor at 'dhabas' (roadside eateries) along national highways.
"We have gathered to show that even schoolchildren are against the new policy of the government", Faheem Ansari, a Class 7 student, said.
For Salim Ahmad, another student, the protest was to "mobilise public support to put pressure on the state government to withdraw the new policy."
The students appealed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to reconsider his decision on the new policy and "save society from disaster".
"In the name of enhancing taxes to build roads, hospitals, schools, it appears that the government plans to collect more taxes in garb of excise duties to destroy society," said Mohammad Anwar, the school director.
Last week, Sushila Sahay, a former minister and a Gandhian, joined growing protests against the government's new liquor policy. Sahay opposed the government over the issue.
Sahay has surrendered her pension and offered to refund the entire amount she has been paid since 1980 in protest. She is the first political leader in the state to openly oppose the policy.
A prominent Muslim body has also objected to it, saying it will harm poor people and youngsters in particular.
Sahay advised Nitish Kumar to emulate his mentor, the late Karpoori Thakur, who had introduced prohibition during his second tenure as the state chief minister in 1977.
Earlier, other Gandhians had also voiced concern over the government's new policy.
The Imarat Shariah, a social and Muslim religious body at Phulwarisharief near Patna, said the new policy would encourage the sale of liquor and create social problems.
"The Bihar government's new liquor policy is totally against the preaching of Mahatma Gandhi who was for a total ban," said Maulana Syed Nizamuddin, the chief of Imarat Shariah.
A social front called Akhil Bharatiya Apradh Virodhi Morcha staged a demonstration here last week to protest against the policy.
The Women Brigade, a body of women, also protested against the liquor policy.