PATNA: SEPTEMBER 3: Yesterday thousands of ex-Army men took out a protest march from Danapur cantonment to Patna against the ban on liquor for them and submitted a memorandum to the Governor. So far 70 Army personnel, including officers, have been sent to jail during the last four months under the amended state excise and prohibition law. The march was stopped by the Police a few yards from the Raj Bhavan but, later, a five-member delegation of the Ex-Servicemen League went up and submitted their memorandum there. N.K. Singh, president of the league said, “We’ve been assured action in 15 days by the Raj Bhavan, but if nothing happens all the Army personnel in the State will take out an unprecedented protest march and fill the historic Gandhi Maidan”. The Ministry of Defence gives us a certain quota of liquor under Army rule 32/84, liquor is medicine for us. ‘’This is a fight for our right. How can someone, all of a sudden, decide to stop this quota for us”, Mr. Singh asked? He also said that he was in favour of a ban on liquor but “sharab sharabiyon ke liye ban hona chahiye, na ki faujiyon ke liye (liquor should be banned for those who have become addicts, not for the Army personnel).” S.K. Sinha who retired as Junior Warrant Officer said, “Ever since prohibition was imposed supply of liquor has been stopped at four canteens in the Cantonment”. Though the newly created, Excise and Prohibition Act, 2016 law is yet to be given assent by the Governor Ram Nath Kovind, it has received widespread appreciation among the general public and from other states. ]]>
