Uma Bharti fears liquor mafia campaign after she sets January 15 deadline for prohibition in Madhya Pradesh

By PTI

BHOPAL: Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti on Sunday expressed apprehension that the liquor mafia may run a campaign against her, a day after she called for a total prohibition in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh by mid-January, 2022.

“Liquor mafia can launch an intense publicity campaign against us. All people need to be alert. I hope to get proper protection on this issue from the media as well…Beware of the propaganda campaign of liquor mafia,” Bharti said in a series of tweets.

Bharti on Saturday told reporters that she would try to ensure that the total prohibition is implemented in Madhya Pradesh after January 15.

Bharti had set the deadline of January 15 for MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for implementing the prohibition policy and state unit BJP president V D Sharma to run an awareness campaign against liquor.

The BJP veteran, who had served as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh from December 2003 to August 2004, said she will lead the campaign for total prohibition after January 15.

Bharti had earlier this year announced to lead a campaign seeking a liquor ban in MP from March this year, but the plan did not materialise.

Clarifying this issue, the former Union minister tweeted on Sunday the campaign could not take off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If all goes well, then this public awareness campaign will run for five months. In the meantime, my Ganga Yatra will also be completed. After that, I will review the situation between January 15 and 20, 2022. I am sure that the (MP) government will decide on a liquor ban in the state otherwise women will take to the streets for a liquor ban. I will also be involved,” she tweeted.