MP CM announces launch of de-addiction campaign; Uma Bharti hails move

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday announced that his government will launch a de-addiction campaign, a move welcomed by senior BJP leader Uma Bharti who has been demanding liquor prohibition in the saffron party-ruled state for long.

Earlier in the day, in a series of tweets in Hindi, Bharti wondered why Chouhan had ''stopped talking'' to her now while she had regularly raised the issue of liquor prohibition with him.

Bharti, a former Chief Minister of MP, demanded that the practice of serving liquor in 'ahatas' (enclosed areas close to liquor vends) be immediately stopped.

“The state government has decided to run a de-addiction campaign in Madhya Pradesh (against liquor and drugs) ,” Chouhan announced while addressing a 'Gaurav Diwas' programme at Makhan Nagar in Narmadapuram district.

He said the government would appeal to people to make their villages addiction-free.

Addiction to a harmful substance can be overcome only when people eradicate it from its root, he said.

Immediately after his announcement, Bharti took to Twitter to hail the move.

“I am happy that Shivraj ji has announced to run a de-addiction campaign on behalf of the government very soon,” she said.

The former Union minister said she will participate in the campaign.

It is a policy of the government that liquor shops should not come up near schools, hospitals, temples and other prohibited places, she said.

''The government should ensure strict implementation of this policy so that there is no dissatisfaction among citizens,” the BJP leader added. PTI ADU MAS RSY RSY