A complete ban on liquor came into effect on Tuesday in 19 religious cities and select gram panchayat areas across Madhya Pradesh, including Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, and Maihar.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav hailed the decision as a "historic step towards de-addiction," emphasising the cultural and spiritual significance of these locations.
The decision to prohibit liquor sales in these areas was initially announced by CM Yadav and later approved by the state cabinet on January 24 during a meeting in Maheshwar, a town historically associated with the revered medieval-era queen Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar.
Under the ban, all liquor shops and bars within the urban limits of Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandleshwar, Orchha, Maihar, Chitrakoot, Datia, Panna, Mandla, Multai, Mandsaur, and Amarkantak, as well as in the gram panchayat limits of Salkanpur, Kundalpur, Bandakpur, Barmankalan, Barmankhurd, and Linga, have been shut down.
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The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has officially designated these 19 urban and rural areas as "completely sacred," imposing a total prohibition on liquor sales to honour their religious and cultural importance.
In an official statement, CM Yadav reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting de-addiction and attributed the ban to the "public faith and religious reverence" associated with these locations. The liquor prohibition has been implemented in regions spanning one municipal corporation, several municipal councils, and multiple village panchayats.
Among the affected locations, Ujjain is home to the revered Mahakal Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, while Amarkantak is the origin of the Narmada River, a waterway considered the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh.
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