Beach shacks in Puri: Odisha govt's new Excise policy opposed

Members of different social organisations on Wednesday staged protests in front of Puri Srimandir Singhadwara opposing the nod to open beach shacks in Puri.

The new Excise police of the Odisha government has witnessed strong opposition from intellectuals, servitors, and researchers of Sri Jagannath culture, who have criticized the introduction of liquor on the sea beach. 

The Puri sea beach is considered sacred, as it is the site where many rituals of the sibling deities are performed; permitting the sale of alcohol is unacceptable here, said the protesters.

“Entire India needs to become liquor-free and then Odisha can also become alcohol-free. Our battle has not ended yet; it will end only when all of India becomes free of liquor. The soil of Puri and the sand of the Belabhumi (sea beach) are pious, and any attempt to tarnish the purity of this land is highly condemnable. We urge the Odisha government to make Puri liquor-free,” said one of the protesters.

Another protestor said, “The sea is considered as the maternal home of Goddess Lakshmi, and Sri Narayan visits here every New Moon day. The sale of alcohol here is unacceptable. To prevent this, we have staged protests today.”

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Criticizing the government’s decision, a protester said, “Odisha should also become alcohol-free as the government had promised the people of Odisha before getting elected. Now, instead of keeping that promise, they are ruining the purity of this land with their decision.”