Mumbai: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) Maharashtra has opposed the state Government’s proposed move to allow wine sale at retail outlets and departmental stores. The Maharashtra government has recently proposed a new policy, under which wine will soon be sold across departmental stores in the state

Expressing serious concerns, JIH Maharashtra President Rizwanur Rahman Khan in a letter to the Chief Minister, has cautioned that the proposed move will have disastrous consequences and is not in the larger interest of the citizens.

In his letter to the Chief Minister, the JIH Maharashtra President has quoted Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that ‘alcohol is the mother of all evils. He said, “it is for this reason that Islam completely prohibits the consumption and sale of liquor. Wine and gambling have destroyed many a family across the world, and Maharashtra is no exception. According to a WHO report, alcohol kills some 2.6 lakh Indians every year. Of these, 1 lakh die in road accidents, 30,000 from cancer and another 1.4 lakh from liver cirrhosis. We are well aware that alcoholism also leads to domestic violence and untold penury.”

He has expressed fear that this proposal to ostensibly categorise wine as a health drink, would open the floodgates for other forms of alcohol to be sold so freely in the future too. Moreover, it cannot be denied that making wine freely available at departmental stores would make hitherto teetotalers alcoholics. Once they become habitual of wine, they can also succumb to addiction of other forms of alcohol.

Mr. Khan wrote, “we had hoped that under the present rule, Maharashtra would follow the example of other states like Gujarat and Bihar where alcohol is prohibited.  But we are quite appalled to learn that the state government is promoting alcoholism instead of curbing it.”

Expressing hope that the welfare of the citizens takes precedence over economic profits, he urged the Chief Minister to reconsider the proposal.