In view of pran pratishtha ceremony at Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, the Bhajan Lal Sharma government in Rajasthan Sunday declared consecration day as a ‘dry day’ across the state. Earlier, several other state governments have also declared the consecration day a ‘dry day’ and opted to prohibit the sale of alcohol across the state. The state units of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), where the party is not in power, are demanding a ban on the sale of liquor on the consecration day.
As per officials at Ayodhya Shri Ram Mandir, the ceremony will be held for seven days starting from January 16. Preparations are underway in full swing for the temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ on January 22, which will draw dignitaries and people from all walks of life.
Here’s a list of states observing a ‘dry day’ on January 22:
Uttar Pradesh
The Uttar Pradesh Excise Department (UPED) has declared January 22 as a ‘dry day’ across the state and has instructed all liquor shops in the state not to sell alcoholic beverages on the consecration day.
“You are aware that on January 22, 2024, the Pran Pratishtha ceremony will be held in the Ram Mandir at Shri Ram’s birthplace in Ayodhya. In view of the above, under a government order dated 11-01-2024, it has been decided that all the liquor shops in the state will remain closed on January 22, 2024. The licensee will not be entitled to any compensation or claim for the closure. Please ensure compliance accordingly,” a notice by the UP Excise Commissioner read.
Rajasthan
The Bhajan Lal Sharma government in Rajasthan today declared January 22 as a ‘dry day’ in across the state in view of the consecration ceremony at Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Assam
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced January 22 as a ‘dry day’ in the state. In a post on X the CM wrote, “Decisions we took in today’s meeting of the #AssamCabinet- Dry Day on 22.01.2024 on the occasion of Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ram Lalla Virajman -Approval to Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan- a new scheme to financially support rural women entrepreneurs.”
“Big screens will be installed at various places for this. On January 21 and 22, the BJP workers will illuminate the market and other areas. January 22 has been declared as a ‘dry day’ in the state,” the CM said.
Uttarakhand
The Pushkar Singh Dhami government in Uttarakhand has instructed district magistrates to designate January 22 as a dry day in the state. The state government has also directed the officials that ‘prasad’ should be distributed in major temples and Gurudwaras on January 22, and special arrangements should be made for providing prasad to the underprivileged through public participation. Millets of Uttarakhand should be included as much as possible in the form of Prasad
Chhattisgarh
The Vishnu Deo Sai government in Chhattisgarh has opted to observe a ‘dry day’ on January 22. The Chhattisgarh Excise Department has issued directives to ensure the strict implementation of this government decision. In accordance with the order, exercising powers conferred under sub-section (1) of Section 24 of the Chhattisgarh Excise Act, 1915, all country liquor and foreign liquor retail shops, restaurant bars, hotel bars, and clubs within the state will remain closed on January 22nd.
An investigation team has also been constituted to keep a check on the suspicious locations and vehicles to prevent the illegal storage of liquor. Besides, all the district offices as well as the divisional and state-level flying squads have been directed to take effective steps to prevent the transportation and sale of illegal liquor.
BJP units demand ‘dry day’ in other states:
The BJP units in other states and UTs such as Jharkhand and Delhi have demanded a ban on liquor sale on Janaury 22 due to the consecration event at Ayodhya Shri Ram Mandir.
Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and other BJP leaders demanded that January 22 be declared a dry day. Similarly, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash has urged Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to ban the sale of liquor and meat on that day given Pran Pratishtha on that day.
Ram Temple consecration
Preparations are underway in full swing for the Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ on January 22, which will draw dignitaries and people from all walks of life. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple at noon on January 22. Vedic rituals for the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, a week before the main ceremony.
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Published: 14 Jan 2024, 03:21 PM IST