Gujarat hooch tragedy exposes failure of police and government to nab liquor sellers

A brief report on the recent hooch tragedy in Gujarat prepared by the fact finding team of the Socialist Unity Centre of India (C), Ahmedabad:

***

A three member team of SUCI (C) visited the hooch tragedy affected villages of Dhandhuka and Barwala talukas on 27th July, 2022. The three members were Dr. Kanubhai Khadadiya, Jayesh Patel and Sachin Shah. The first shocking thing revealed to them was that not only Akru, Nabhoi, Chowkdi, Rojid, Chandarwa, Uchhadi, Mosadi and Aniyari, whose name surfaced in the news were affected but more than 20 other villages including Ranpari, Vaiya, Karada, Tagdi, Devagna, whose name has not surfaced are also badly affected by the tragedy. The liquor is sold in the surrounding 50 villages from the liquor shop situated between Chowkdi and Nabhoi of Barwala taluka. It clearly exposes the failure of Police and the government to nab the liquor seller. In spite of repeated representations by the Sarpanch of Rojid, no steps were taken. Presently many affected people have left the village out of the fear of Police. We could witness ambulances in almost all the surrounding villages which showed the intensity of the tragedy.
On visiting the family of a poor youth who died in this tragedy, we came to know that he consumed liquor on 24 July Sunday and got admitted in Botad hospital with complaint of blindness and died during the treatment. The girls of four to twelve years lost their father.
We noted firstly that the declaration of free medical treatment to the affected people is just in newspapers and known only in cities. The affected villages are not aware of this. Secondly we sadly noted that no one from government and administration have visited the affected families for consolation.
One more shocking thing revealed to us was that liquor sale became rampant in these villages after the introduction of Dholera SIR.
In these circumstances, we demand on behalf of the families of the affected people:
1. Stringent punishment to the officers responsible for this tragedy.
2. Appropriate compensation to the families of the deceased people and free treatment to the affected people.
3. Strict implementation of liquor prohibition policy.
4. Break the Nexus of Political leaders, police and bootleggers in the state.
5. Open De Addiction centers for the rehabilitation of the liquor addicted people.

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Study links sanctions to 500,000 deaths annually leading to rise in global backlash

By Bharat Dogra International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars.

Dhurandhar: The Revenge — Blurring the line between fiction and political narrative

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

BJP accounts for 99% of political donations in Gujarat: Corporate giants dominate

By Jag Jivan An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Captains extraordinaire: Ranking cricket’s most influential skippers

By Harsh Thakor* Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

‘No merit’ in Chakraborty’s claims: Personal ethics talk sans details raises questions

By Jag Jivan A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

Search This Blog