Modi mantra: If I can't give you jobs, I will give you liquor

I'm sure a lot of youngsters will not like if I say that I strongly oppose the Maharashtra government's reported decision to accept Shiv Sena's request to keep bars in the state open all night. The party, fighting for the pride of the Marathi "manoos", argues that such a move will not only enhance the quality of night life in Mumbai but also help in promotion of tourism. Nothing could be farther from the truth. 

This is simply an attempt to appease the young voters, luring them with something which threatens to destroy the basic tenets of Indian social fabric. Even now the bars remain open till 1.30 am in the morning. Is that not enough? What is the government trying to do? What is the need to facilitate drinking all night? It will not promote tourism or enhance the quality of night life.

Such a step can only encourage alcoholism which will invariably affect the productivity of youngsters. What will a young man or woman do during the day if he or she spends the entire night in a pub, drinking? One should not be against drinking or going to a pub. We all need recreational activities and Mumbai has enough avenues for that. But recreation must not last for eternity. No sensible parent will want their children to stay out of home all night. As father of a teenage daughter, I understand the angst and anxiety caused to thousands of parents across the city by this decision of Sena-BJP alliance.

It's really sad that BJP, a party which tries to project itself as the custodian of Indian Asmita, is part of the dubious game. Please make no mistake, Shiv Sena and BJP are not concerned about the welfare of the youth.

If the Narendra Modi-led Central government wants to do good for the youth of the country, it must first create jobs. Not a single new job has been created in the last nine months.

The government must facilitate more educational loans for students from economically weaker sections. Look at the state of educational loans since the Modi government took over. Instead of keeping bars open all night, the government must focus on creating more facilities for sports. It must focus more on skill development. Drinking is certainly no skill. 

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, which has been ruling the Mumbai civic bodies for last 25 years, has played a crude joke on the poor living in the city. Nearly 60 per cent of the city population lives in slums. Can a young man from the slums afford night life as propagated by Shiv Sena? What has the government done to uplift the economic condition of young people? They don't have enough opportunities to even buy a drink in a pub.  

Helping them drink more is an easy but dubious way to win votes among a section of the youth, but imagine the damage it will cause to national interest in the long run.

Let's ask ourselves a simple question. Do we want our youngsters to do more research, innovate, win medals in Olympics, write Booker Prize-winning books, make great films, shine in politics or drink and party a couple of hours more?