Chandrapur: The only Congress MP who won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtra, Balu Dhanorkar, has demanded to lift liquor prohibition from this district. Liquor prohibition was introduced four years ago in this area, while in Wardha and Gadchiroli, it was already in place. Dhanorkar has claimed that the liquor ban has taken severe toll on revenue and employment. “Liquor prohibition was a wrong decision taken from day one. The Finance Minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar, imposed the ban to appease 15,000 voters in his Assembly constituency,” Dhanorkar said.
No terms and conditions that were placed at the time of prohibition have been implemented till now. Illegal liquor trade and bootlegging are rampant, even the revenues are down in this area. “This is not liked by the people. What are they proving by prohibiting in one district? They are ruling this country now, so go ahead and implement prohibition in all of Maharashtra,” said a rather annoyed Dhanorkar. Dhanorkar had switched parties prior to the elections. He joined Congress from Shiv Sena. His election ensure the state did not become ‘Congress mukt Maharashtra’.
