It is an open secret that despite Gujarat’s decades-long prohibition on alcohol, illicit liquor trade flourishes across the state. The issue has flared up since Monday, when the Congress party's Vadgam legislator, Jignesh Mevani, said that police officials could lose their jobs after liquor and drugs were reportedly found near a school in Tharad.

Mevani insinuated that Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, who is also the deputy chief minister, was backing the police, even though liquor is banned in Gujarat, with few exceptions.

Even as the two eminent political personalities hurl verbal grenades at each other, Gujarat’s sloppy record of prohibition can’t be glossed over any longer.

In the absence of firm regulations and a strong watch on the illicit sale of liquor, alcohol traders have a field day in Gujarat, hoodwinking the law at will as they work their way around the system.

And amidst the struggle to enforce the liquor ban, authorities profit, and the shadow industry thrives.

The ground reality

Alcohol has been banned in Gujarat since 1948, but the reality of liquor consumption is starkly different. Rich or poor, 'upper' caste or not, alcohol is accessible to all. The trade operates underground. Allegedly, local police often take a 'cut'.

Occasionally, the liquor sold is adulterated with methyl alcohol (methanol), which can be deadly even in small doses. Many hooch tragedies are linked to methanol in liquor.

Mewani had reportedly told a media house much earlier that the liquor industry in Gujarat is worth over Rs 1,500 crore. “Right from the local leaders to the constable to those sitting in power in Gandhinagar – everyone has some kind of association and is benefiting from the illegal trade of alcohol in the state. However, whenever tragedies related to its consumption happen, it is always the poor who fall victim to the poison,” he was quoted as saying.

The dark underbelly of Gujarat's liquor business

It beggars belief that Ahmedabad, home to Gandhi Ashram, has the highest number of illegal liquor cases in Gujarat. In the first half of 2024, the State Monitoring Cell reportedly recorded 35 'prohibition cases' across four commissionerates.

Also read: Liquor Ban Has Failed in Both Bihar and Gujarat. But Political Battle Continues Over Hooch Tragedy

Ahmedabad alone accounted for 17. Surat had 13, Vadodara five and Rajkot none. Ahmedabad also topped liquor cases in 2023, with 37 of 83 cases registered there.

Between January and June 2024, the SMC reportedly conducted 224 raids, of which 180 were successful. Rs 11.5 crore worth of liquor and Rs 26 crore worth of other illegal goods were seized.

The exceptions

It must be mentioned that alcohol is officially allowed in Gujarat only on “medical grounds”. Recent government data shows 50,000 such permits have been issued so far. Until 2018, permits were inexpensive and easy to get. Now, the processing fee has doubled to Rs 2,000 and private doctor's certificates are no longer accepted.

Certain hotels can sell alcohol – but only if they follow strict rules. They must be three-star rated or higher. They cannot be located near temples, schools or hospitals. They must also be registered with the state tourism department. Only permit holders or tourists from other states can be served alcohol.

The government has, in recent times, allowed the occasional relaxation of laws to attract foreign tourists. There is also a facility for online permits.

For those without permits, bootleggers are the next option. Some even offer doorstep delivery.

The High Court is reviewing petitions challenging the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949. Petitioners argue the law violates constitutional rights, including the right to privacy and equality. They say the law must take cognisance of "changing society".

Police families protest

Meanwhile, Mevani's remarks have triggered protests by the families of police officials in Vadgam and Tharad, highlighting the tension between law enforcement, politicians and the shadowy alcohol economy that thrives beneath the state’s dry façade.

While acknowledging that Mevani has raised a valid issue regarding alcohol, Prakashbhai Soni, vice president of the Tharad Trader Association, said his tone was objectionable.

Also read: Gujarat: 28 Dead, Several Hospitalised After Consuming Spurious Alcohol

“What Jignesh Mevani spoke here about the issue of alcohol and drugs is correct and valid, and even we agree that it should not be there. But the manner in which he spoke against senior police officers was not acceptable at all. Vav-Tharad is a new district and everyone, including the police, is working hard and taking suggestions from people. But to keep himself active on social media, Mevani used such language. They [the district police officials] are new; it is an insult not to the police but to us. We realised we had to stand by the police officers, so we called a meeting and decided to call for a bandh,” he told a national daily.

Additionally, in a video message, Mevani reportedly said, “Gujarat DGP Vikas Sahay, in a recent address to police staff said if there is any lapse on the part of any police official, we will address that administratively. There is no need to ‘tolerate’ any allegations by outsiders. You are right in sending across this message for police personnel but as the leader of the police force in the state, you must be aware that senior officers across 33 districts earn from rampant businesses of drugs, land deals, mining, gambling, alcohol.... I appeal to you to stop drug and alcohol business in Gujarat.”

Gulabsinh Rajput, president of the Banaskantha District Congress Committee, however, backed Mevani and alleged that the government was misleading the public. He said that the party would submit a representation to the collector, demanding action against those involved in the liquor and drug trades.

Not to be undone, Sanghavi informed the police at a function that several highly educated individuals, who may lack cultural sensitivity, might approach them and attempt to take off their belts or even jeopardise their jobs.

His reference to education came in response to Mevani, who, while attacking Sanghavi, had reportedly suggested that the minister had studied only up to Class 8. 

Words are flying and tensions are rising, though they may soon subside. What is likely to persist are Gujarat’s lax liquor laws, increasingly at odds with the reality on the ground.

This story was originally published on Vibes of India.

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