Alwar’s ‘Gulabi gang’ protests liquor licenses
THE MEMBERS PROTESTED FOR AN HOUR AND FORCED AUTHORITIES TO SHUT THE WINDOWS WHERE THE NEW APPLICATION WERE BEING TAKEN.
Members of a vigilante women’s group– Gulabi (pink) team– staged a sit-in demonstration outside the Alwar district excise office on Wednesday, demanding that country-made liquor vends not be given licenses from this financial year.
The members of the group who protested for an hour forced the authorities to shut the windows of the office where the new application were being taken.
“We are protesting against liquor shops for the past one year. Country-made liquor is ruining the poor families,” said Prem Lata Sulania, leader of the group.
She further said that if the excise department was determined to open country-made liquor shops, it can do so outside the city.
Led by Sulania, the members of the vigilante group of gathered outside the Delhi Gate and, rallied to the district excise office.
The activists also submitted a memorandum to the district excise officer Anju Omprakash, demanding that no license be issued to any country-made liquor shop in the city.
On March 10, the group submitted a memorandum to the district collector with the same demand. In addition, they demanded a stop to betting and sale of illegal liquor in city neighbourhoods.
Sulania further said that the group will at no cost allow any country-made liquor shop to operate within the city.
The group, popularly known as the “gulab gang”, came to prominence last year when its members came out clad in pink sarees and did not allow the opening of liquor shops in more than 12 neighbourhoods in the city for two months.