The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to stop selling liquor in 17 religious cities. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav shared this news during a press conference. The plan to ban liquor will happen in stages. In the first step, liquor shops will close in one city council (Nagar Nigam), six small towns (Nagar Palikas), six municipalities (Nagar Parishads), and six village councils (Gram Panchayats). The list of places includes:
– Nagar Nigam: Ujjain
– Nagar Palikas: Maihar, Datia, Panna, Mandla, Multai, Mandsaur
– Nagar Parishads: Orchha, Chitrakoot, Amarkantak, Maheshwar, Omkareshwar, Mandleshwar
– Gram Panchayats: Salkanpur, Bandakpur, Kundalpur, Barmankala, Linga, Barmankhurd
CM Yadav explained that these liquor shops will not be moved elsewhere and will be permanently closed. This decision follows earlier commitments to ban liquor and meat near religious sites, as asked by many religious leaders who support this idea.
The prohibition is also important for the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh 2028, a major Hindu pilgrimage in Ujjain. Starting this prohibition is to keep the area sacred for visitors. The plan to stop selling liquor and meat near these places was first announced in August 2024 and approved by the state government in September. This initiative will impact 21 districts, 68 areas, more than 1,000 villages, and 1,126 sacred riverside spots, including many ancient temples.
For over 30 years, the idea of liquor prohibition has been talked about in Madhya Pradesh. In 2004, then-Chief Minister Uma Bharti banned liquor in Amarkantak and Maheshwar because they are holy places. Later, Shivraj Singh Chouhan expanded this ban to other religious sites, and the discussion continues today.
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