UP village to boycott candidates distributing liquor during coming panchayat polls

Baghpat (UP), Jan 6 (PTI) A village council meeting at Dikhouli in Baghpat district has resolved to socially boycott any candidate found distributing liquor during the upcoming panchayat elections, community leaders said on Tuesday.

The decision was taken at a panchayat convened by the District Jat Sabha as part of a pledge to promote a substance-free society.

The candidates preparing to contest the three-tier panchayat elections, along with village elders and community representatives, collectively vowed not to use alcohol as an inducement for votes.

Advocate Somendra Dhaka, president of the District Jat Sabha and the organiser of the meeting, said the panchayat was held specifically to ensure that the local elections are conducted without liquor-related inducements.

“It was unanimously decided that any candidate who distributes liquor during the elections will face social boycott,” he told PTI.

Participants at the meeting stressed that while electoral defeat is acceptable, winning elections by distributing alcohol is not.

They also resolved that anyone attempting to seek votes by offering liquor would not be allowed to enter the village.

Dhaka said the resolution has the backing of khap panchayats as well.

Khap leaders present at the meeting pledged full support to make the panchayat elections liquor-free and administered an oath to the youth to abstain from alcohol consumption.

The panchayat also decided to organise a de-addiction ‘yagna’ at the Shiva temple in the village on January 18, followed by a ‘nasha mukti’ (de-addiction) march, in which a large number of women and youth are expected to participate. PTI COR KIS ARI