Drinking, smoking, eating non-veg are fundamental rights: BJP minister

Jaipur: At a time when anti-liquor movement is gaining momentum across the country and prohibition is becoming a major poll issue, Rajasthan’s industry minister on Wednesday struck a divergent note and said drinking and smoking is a fundamental right of people.

Gajendra Singh Khimsar, who is a hotelier by profession, was speaking to the media at the BJP’s headquarters when he said, “Smoking, drinking and eating non-vegetarian food are fundamental rights of people.”

Khimsar spoke about the adverse impact of prohibition and asserted that it not only increased liquor smuggling in states where the liquor ban is in force but also encouraged manufacturing of spurious liquor. According to the BJP minister, the youth in the country have started looking at other alternative sources of getting high, like drugs due to liquor ban.

The Minister’s statement has stirred a political controversy with the Congress hitting him out for giving out a ‘morally wrong’ message.

“The minister’s statement describing drinking as fundamental right is wrong both morally and legally. Article 47 of directive principles clearly states that since alcohol is under state control, it is government’s responsibility to discourage drinking,” a Congress leader said.

Khimsar however found some support in the form of his cabinet colleague Surendra Goyal who said that liquor was being smuggled to Gujarat from Haryana through Rajasthan and the police was doing nothing to act against it. Ironically, all three states are currently under the BJP rule.