Will talk to CM Chouhan about liquor ban: Uma Bharti

In an interview with ETV Bharat, senior BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti once again advocated for a liquor ban, coming on the back of a hooch tragedy in Morena, and added that she would speak with current CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan about the matter.

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Following the hooch tragedy in Morena where at least 25 persons died, senior BJP leader Uma Bharti on Friday once again called for a liquor ban in Madhya Pradesh.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said she would even meet current Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and convey the same.

Earlier yesterday, Bharti had expressed her opinion in a series of tweets in Hindi that came in the wake of the death of several people due to consumption of spurious alcohol in Madhya Pradesh.

She urged BJP chief J P Nadda to enforce a complete ban on liquor in the states ruled by the saffron party.

She also said that due to the 'greed' for revenue and pressure by liquor mafia, drinking is not being banned.

"This should not be made into a political agenda. This should rather be looked at as a social campaign," the BJP leader told ETV Bharat today.

Read:Madhya Pradesh cracks down on illicit liquor trade

She said she had full faith in Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan and would speak with him over the issue.

The BJP leader said alternatives would have to be found to make up for the loss of revenue if liquor is banned.

"If a mother eats the flesh of her own child, I'll not call her a mother, but a bad mother. We will have to find other ways (to make up for the revenue)," Bharti said.

"However, I do not want the government to take a rushed decision. It can be done in a phased manner," she added.

Pertinently, spurious liquor had also claimed the lives of more than a dozen people in Ujjain in October last year.

Read:Morena hooch tragedy: Police nab main accused from Chennai, death toll rises to 25