Kalaburgi: A few years ago, the village of Gundagurti in Kalaburgi district, was a detestable place for the women who lived there. For a long time, men would get befuddled after a drunken night out and when they returned home, if they ever did, they would unleash hell on their wives.
It’s hard to imagine that a village like this could ever kick the foul reputation and make a turn for the better. To the relief of the wives and many others oppressed by the ill effects of a liquor induced drunken stupor, IT, BT and Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge was able to do the virtually impossible and rid the village of every single liquor store, resulting in the impressive reformation of the village menfolk.
Gandagurti, being the maternal home of senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s wife and Priyank Kharge’s grandmother, naturally drew the minister home after he was elected as the MLA of the Chittapur constituency. After his arrival, he was met by many women who laid out their troubles in front of him due to the liquor menace. He was saddened by their stories of being rendered homeless because of their husbands’ drinking addiction and decided that enough was enough.
Any step forward is difficult, especially when you are talking about taking a step into a liquor-free society. Kharge knew this, but remained steadfast.
The village had 700 homes and four liquor stores to supply to the village men. They made a huge revenue from their business, which is understandably why they protested against the arguably extreme measure.
Kharge somehow managed to convince the village leaders that getting rid of the liquor stores was the way to go. Gradually, he managed to get them to shut down their rather lucrative, yet disruptive businesses.
The women, now having a new lease of life, are eternally grateful to the legislator for freeing them from the tyranny of the intoxicating drink.
