Social activist Anna Hazare,  announced that he will go on an indefinite hunger strike from February 14 against the Maharashtra government over its policy that allows the sale of wine at supermarkets and walk-in stores. Hazare had sent a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray urging him to roll back the government’s excise policy which allowed the sale of wine at general stories.

Hazare said that he had also written to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar criticizing the state government’s move to supply win in supermarkets. However, Pawar did not reply to the veteran activist. According to local media reports, Hazare had sent the first letter to Thackeray on February 3.

“The government’s decision to permit the sale of wine in supermarkets and step-in shops does not augur well for the state and its people’s welfare. The state government should initiate measures against liquor addiction… If the government persists with its policy, I will go on an indefinite strike,” he had said in his letter.

MVA turning Maharashtra into ‘Madya Rashtra’: BJP

On January 27, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra Cabinet announced that wine will be available in supermarket stores in Maharashtra. Previously, the sale of wine was allowed only in liquor stores. The changed policy, however, will allow wine bottles to be sold in supermarkets. A political war of words broke out over the decision and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the MVA government for turning Maharashtra into a ‘Madya Rashtra’, meaning a country of liquor.

Hazare has been running a deaddiction campaign in his village Ralagan Siddhi for decades and has said that the government’s primary role should be the deaddiction of the society.