Bhubaneswar: Amid the ruckus over Chikiti hooch tragedy, Odisha Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Friday announced a total ban on dancer bars in the state.
“Dance bars will be shut in Odisha. Illegal liquor shops being run on government properties will be bulldozed. The network of illicit liquor trade will also be completely destroyed within a year,” he said during the adjournment motion in the state Assembly.
The Minister further informed that a new excise policy will be introduced in tune with ‘Odia Asmita’. “No liquor shops will be allowed near near religious institutions, schools, colleges and other educational institutions,” he said.
Reacting to a statement by BJD MLA Arun Sahoo, Harichandan said he has taken illicit liquor trade as a challenge after taking over, and government has launched steps to bring this under control. “We have started a drive to clean vices by removing bars and liquor off shops near schools and colleges. We will raze the illegal liquor shops that had been allowed during the previous government,” he added.
BAN ON DANCE BARS
The ban announcement comes days after women, previously working at dance bars in the city, called on Excise officials and requested them for resuming the permit to licensed foreign liquor shops in Bhubaneswar to host dance performances within their premises.
The BJP had also earlier accused the previous Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government of attempting to destroy the culture of Odia people by providing licences to dance bars in Bhubaneswar.
The ban is expected to be implemented state-wide, with the government set to issue formal notifications and guidelines for enforcement.
OPPOSITION REACTION
While some the Opposition have welcomeD the decision, others have called it a “knee-jerk reaction”.
“The dance bars should be closed as the lives of youths and students are getting ruined. There is also a need to shift the liquor shops near religious institutions and educational institutions. The illegal units in villages should also be closed,” said Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
During the previous government, a lot of things were done only to earn revenue from liquor, he further claimed.
