Karnataka - Bangalore

`We prefer to live under trees'

Bagheshree S.

`How is it that arrack is so easy to get and medicines are hard to find in villages?'

FACING WOMEN'S ISSUES: Minister for Health R. Ashok and Minister for Women and Child Welfare H.K. Kumaraswamy at Karnataka Grameena Mahila Okkuta's fifth annual conference in Bangalore on Friday. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

Bangalore: Calling arrack consumption "the biggest menace" faced by poor women in rural Karnataka, Papamma, Karnataka Grameena Mahila Maha Okkuta secretary demanded that the Government keep its commitment to ban arrack from July 1.

Had those arguing about revenue and job losses because of proposed arrack ban ever thought of the lakhs of families ruined by arrack, she asked. "Men drink while their wives and children starve. They beat up women and take away their money. The entire family's health is ruined. Children don't get education. Let them calculate these costs," she demanded.

The okkuta, a federation of self-help groups from all 27 districts of Karnataka, is celebrating its fifth anniversary in Bangalore.

Jayalakshmi, okkuta's State convenor, said that such a ban was in force in Gujarat. "It is a matter of political will. They are sidetracking the issue by talking about revenue and employment," she said. "They tell us that we get our houses, roads and drinking water from the revenue from arrack. We would rather live under trees and eat grass than deal with men who ruin our and our children's lives with their drinking obsession," said Kallamma, a fiery self-help group (SHG) member from Mulbagal.

The women who spoke to The Hindu on the sidelines of the okkuta's fifth anniversary held here, said the 1.5 lakh members of the okkuta would lay siege to Vidhan Soudha if the Government went back on its promise under pressure from arrack lobby. "We suffer in our homes, we might as well suffer in front of the Vidhan Soudha and let the world know," said Ms. Papamma.

Women were being denied justice for all the physical and mental abuse they suffer because members of village panchayat and even police often condone violence because the perpetrator was inebriated and therefore not in his right senses. "What is the use of implementing even Domestic Violence Act then?" asked Papamma. "People get elected on the power of arrack. There are villages where panchayat members and schoolteachers go to work drunk. How can this go on?" Shaheda from Bhadravati wanted to know.

It was some solace to the members that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who attended the last session of the anniversary programme, said he was committed to the decision on ban. In one of the earlier sessions, Kalamma had asked Health Minister R. Ashok: "How is it that arrack is so easy to get and medicines are so hard to come by in our villages?"

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