RAIPUR: At a time when the Congress government in Chhattisgarh is mulling fulfilling its poll promise of prohibition, minister for women and child welfare Anila Bhediya has triggered a controversy by suggesting village women let men “take a peg and go to sleep” so that they can remain stress-free.
Women feel mentally stressed because of liquor consumption because they have to look after the home and family, Anila said, telling the village menfolk: “Thodi thodi pi lia karo aur so jaya karo (drink a little and go to sleep).”
Later, she issued a clarification and said her statement was being “twisted”. “This is political mischief,” she said. “I was addressing men addicted to liquor and I said they should drink less. Women have to face a lot of mental pressure due to the responsibilities of home and children. I meant to say liquor addiction is bad and one should get rid of it,” Anila clarified.
The minister, a two-time MLA, was on a tour of her assembly constituency in Singhola village of Balod district, around 120km from Raipur, on Wednesday. While speaking to Kamar tribe women, she was told that liquor consumption had spiked in the village ever since the government allowed villagers to brew their own liquor for consumption.
