Prohibition: Activists gherao MLA’s house

Yavatmal: The activists of Swamini Daru Bandi Sanghatana of Yavatmal on Thursday took out a huge morcha to the residence of BJP MLA of Arni Raju Todsam and submitted a memorandum of demands to both naib tehsildar of Parwa and Archana Raju Todsam, wife of Raju Todsam. Mostly women, the agitators gathered at Balasaheb Desmukh Parvekar Open air theatre in Parwa from where they marched to the residence of Todsam under the leadership of H S Sarada, Pune-based Yuvakranti Sanghatana chief Sandeep Barve and organizer of Swamini Darubandi Sanghatana Mahesh Pawar.They shouted slogans against the state government and demanded total ban on liquor manufacturing, sale and consumption in the tribal dominated district of Yavatmal.
They condemned the MLAs of Yavatmal for turning a blind eye towards the harrowing experiences of women and children due to the liquor addiction by their men. “We have been demanding for the ban on liquor in the district for one year and the government is still not keen to listen to us,” Mahesh Pawar said.
The agitators reached the house of Raju Todsam and staged a gherao. Since Raju Todsam was not in the house, his wife Archana came out and received the memorandum of demands. She assured the agitators that she would lead them to the Chief Minsiter Devendra Fadnavis and apprise him of the sentiment of the women and their untold sufferings due to liquor.
Sarada and Barve also addressed the gathering and assured them full support and cooperation for the agitation. Sarada said, “Let the bottle go and save the women,” adding that he would be happy if the demands are met at the earliest.