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 increased prices for farm produce did not increase the happiness of women because the additional income always went in consumption of liquor. Many women would tell Joshi, ‘Even if we don’t get higher price for our farm produce it is okay, but please do something to stop this drinking habit of our men.’ Many used to share with tearful eyes how their family life was getting destroyed by the liquor. Vested interests were closely linked with the liquor business. The liquor shops were generally owned by politicians or other bigwigs in the village. Local Police also benefitted from these shops by way of regular cut from the shopkeepers; those at the top were also involved. Crime and anti-social elements were closely linked with liquor shops. But the idea of banning anything did not gel well with Joshi’s idea of individual freedom. Personally he was not opposed to drinking and at times himself enjoyed drinks. But so strong was the demand from women that ultimately it was decided that Shetkari Mahila Aaghadi will start campaign against liquor. Instead of calling this agitation as “anti-liquor”, Joshi called it “anti-liquor shops”. The women came out in large numbers in village after village shouting slogans against liquor. Demonstrations were held daily in front of the liquor shops. The first shop that was forced to shut down was from a village called Khallar in Amaravati district. It was owned by a brother of a senior woman politician. The response to anti-liquor shops campaign was so overwhelming that later on Government had to pass a law that liquor should not be sold in a village if more than 80% women of the village were against it. Another area Shetkari Mahila Aaghadi was actively involved in was the elections of the Panchayat Raj bodies. It was decided that women will contest the elections of Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti and Gram Panchayat. One reason for the dangerous increase in the crime at the village level was the 230

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Sharad Joshi : Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage