Khandwa officer says 'verbal verification of vaccination' enough for alcohol sale

In a bizarre statement, an excise officer from Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa claimed that 'those who drink do not lie'. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, District excise officer RP Kirar claimed that verbal confirmation of double vaccination was enough for customers buying liquor. Khandwa has mandated vaccination for sale of liquor to customers in the district.

Khandwa: 'Drinkers don't lie'

"Alcohol will be sold at the liquor stores to only those people who have received both doses of COVID vaccine. Customers are being asked verbally of it and boards are being put up," said Kirar. When asked about what will be the verification process, he said, "That is upon the customers' honesty. If he says that he is vaccinated, that is enough. In my experience, those who drink don’t lie. No vaccination proof is required."

Similar rules have been mandated by other districts like Ooty in Tamil Nadu. In September, Udhagamandalam District Collector Smt.J.Innocent Divya in an order stated that alcohol would only be served to 100% inoculated customers. While the order by the DC did not specify the exact number of doses, some outlets like TASMAC in the Nilgiri district specified that proof of both registered doses has to be shown to complete a purchase. In video footage accessed by the Republic Media Network, customers could be seen being stopped at the entrance of the alcohol stores and being interrogated about the proof of vaccination.

Ex-MP CM demands liquor ban

Meanwhile, ex-MP CM Uma Bharti has set the deadline of January 15 for MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for implementing the prohibition policy and state unit BJP president V D Sharma to run an awareness campaign against liquor. The BJP veteran, who had served as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh from December 2003 to August 2004, said she will lead the campaign for total prohibition after January 15. later she also worried that the liquor mafia may run a campaign against her after she called for prohibition.

"If all goes well, then this public awareness campaign will run for five months. In the meantime, my Ganga Yatra will also be completed. After that, I will review the situation between January 15 and 20, 2022. I am sure that the (MP) government will decide on a liquor ban in the state otherwise women will take to the streets for a liquor ban. I will also be involved,” she tweeted.