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Locals sing bhajans, mantras in protest against liquor shops in UP

As anti-alcohol protesters take different ways to take on the liquor traders from burning and looting shops, protesting on roads,…

Locals sing bhajans, mantras in protest against liquor shops in UP

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As anti-alcohol protesters take different ways to take on the liquor traders from burning and looting shops, protesting on roads, going on rampage, etc in different cities of Uttar Pradesh, people here have taken an entirely different way of protest. In Madhavpuram locality of the city, the residents of the area are chanting mantras and singing bhajans outside the liquor shop uninterrupted throughout the day and night.

The protest started in Madhavpuram locality of the city on March 31 when a liquor contractor shifted his shops from the main road to two rental shops near the police post of the area where there was already a country liquor shop . The contractor had to shift the shops in view of the Supreme Court orders. But it became unacceptable to the  residents of the colony, specially the women who were opposing opening of another liquor shop when one was already there. Showing their protest, the enraged residents came out on streets and demanded that both the shops be moved from there.

The police, however, tried to pacify the protesters and asked them to call their protest off. But the residents refused to go unless their demand be accepted. They sat on a dharna outside the shops raising their demand.

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Meanwhile, in large number, the women of the locality started joining the sit-in protest. A tent was put up there and these women started chanting mantras and sang bhajan one after another.

The protesters also managed some pictures of the deities which were put there. Gradually, the local shopkeepers also started extending their support to the residents on this issue.

"They should shift the liquor shops if people do not want them to be here," Sapna, a local resident, said, adding that people drink openly and also create scene at times. This creates an indecent environment. She is hopeful that such a different attempt of residents to protest will definitely force them to shift the liquor shops.

It may be noted that there have been protests against the liquor shops across the state in recent past. In Lucknow and Agra, the liquor shops were burnt while in Moradabad people jammed the road. In Balia, they looted the liquor shop. In Gorakhpur, people went to the police with their complaint, whereas in Varanasi, they took to the streets. But in Madhavpuram in Meerut, the residents took refuge in god.

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