Karnataka women begin 12-day march towards Vidhana Soudha demanding ban on liquor

By A Representative
Madya Nisheda Andolana (MNA) -- an anti-alcohol movement led by grassroots women which came into existence in 2015 when nearly 45,000 women, most of them are rural daily wage labourers and small scale peasants, took to streets in Raichur district for an agitation demanding complete ban on liquor in Karnataka -- has begun a 201 km long padhayatra for 12 days demanding for statewide complete prohibition on sales of liquor.
Led by about 3,000 women and begun on January 19, the marchers will walk about 20 km each day, and pass through Kyadigere, Hosuru, Nityananda Ashrama, Javagondana Halli, Tavara Kere, Sira, Chikkanahalli, Dodda Aladama Mara Cross, CB Temple, Darga Bellavi Cross, Tumakuru, Sidda Ganga Mutt, Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt, Kulavanahalli, T. Begur, Dasanapura, Exhibition Grounds and Yeshwantpur, before ending at the Vidhana Soudha.
Set to reach Bengaluru on January 30, the padyatra was formally inaugurated at Chitradurga with the support of progressive religious leaders and pontiffs. An MNA note says, it will alert the Chief Minister and the state about their miserable living conditions. It warns, women will not return back empty handed this time and ready to face police and jail and they will lay siege to Vidhana Soudha and block the roads and traffic in Bengaluru if the government fails to respond to their demands.
Last year, MNA initiated a 71 days strike in Raichur on February 20, just before the assembly elections in Karnataka. Thousands of women sat on relay strike with a set of demands, calling on the state to implement complete ban on liquor in Karnataka. The strike ended on May 1, 2018 witnessing participation of lakhs of women without getting any assurances from the state.
Karnataka's revenue from liquor increased from Rs 9,000 crore to Rs18,000 crore in last 8 years. due to this social evil policy.

Neville Cardus: The man who turned cricket writing into poetry

By Harsh Thakor* Neville Cardus was one of the most remarkable literary figures of the twentieth century. A prolific English writer and critic, he achieved distinction in two vastly different fields: cricket and classical music. Entirely self-taught, Cardus rose from humble beginnings to become both the cricket correspondent and chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian . His achievements in these contrasting disciplines earned him widespread acclaim and established him as one of the foremost critics of his generation. In February 2025, the cricketing and literary world marked the fiftieth anniversary of his death, which occurred in February 1975.

Ideological shifts and structural realities within India's left-wing insurgency

By Harsh Thakor* The Maoist insurgency in India is arguably at its weakest point since the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 2004. Years of sustained counterinsurgency operations, leadership losses, shrinking territorial influence, declining recruitment, and growing technological advantages enjoyed by the state have significantly eroded the movement's operational capabilities.

The Dalit body on screen: Stereotypes, sacrifice, and subjugation in Hindi films

By Dr. Prem Singh* Despite centuries of reformist efforts, from Gandhi and Ambedkar to contemporary activists, the caste system remains deeply embedded in the Indian psyche. One of the primary reasons for this persistence is the religious sanction provided by Brahminical scriptures, which have shaped not only social structures but also cultural and artistic expressions.

Counterview

Search This Blog