As we are all brought up under the influence of Indian culture and tradition, we know from Mohabharat, how the children of Sri Lord Krishna were addicted to 'Madira Rasa' and 'Kadambari Rasa'. We have also read, how the entire Yadav clan was completely wiped out because of their addiction to these intoxicants.
Previously addiction to alcohol was limited only to the lower strata of society, but now, the opposite is happening. The reason for this, as we all know, is that in 1936, when Orissa attained separate Statehood, alcohol and drugs had already appeared in the Orissan market. By the year 2001, the percentage had increased a thousand fold. Nowadays, we see that those who are highly educated and qualified, those who know everything about the dangers of alcoholism and drug addiction, and those who read a lot about drugs and even teach others about the ill-effects of these substances, do themselves turn out to be the worst offenders. They often preach and sermonize others while they themselves practise alcoholism.
The human mind is indeed a very complex and unique organ. Anyone who has a mind is a human being. Mind means lust, anger, avarice and pride etc among other things. Anybody who has control over these senses is a human, while anyone who a total mastery over them is God and anyone who has no control over them is a demon. Our will-power, reflex power, and far-sightedness often turn out to be completely misplaced. In spite of all the training, which we might have, we are unable to exercise total control over ourselves. The reason for this is that our farsightedness often fails us, and we cannot comprehend the real factors that drive us away. Let us take the example of doctors, especially the medical professionals. No doubt all of them have read about alcohol, know everything about it's ill effects, and have even tasted alcohol. They too discuss the side effects of alcohol. But when they sit down for a dinner, it is immediately called a banquet, where bottles of alcohol are consumed away by them. If this be the situation, then who are we to advise others and give them lectures on deaddiction?
As Mr.Padhi pointed out very succinctly, if a 14 year old teenager can take drugs, why can't a 25 year old doctor do the same? Why does a 35 year old I.A.S. Officer get drunk? How is the Bhunaneswar Club being run? Hence, it is a very difficult task to persuade or change somebody. But all the same we shall continue trying our level best.
I brought several photographs of a child with its mother. The father of the child, who was a rickshaw puller died due to the consumption of spurious alcohol. This incident had taken place in our city, Cuttack about 10 years back. She has no source of income and is in a very pitiable state.
Now, there are several unfortunate women, whose husbands are addicted to alcohol. If we can successfully convince 5 such alcoholics that their wives and children would fall into dire straits oneday due to their habit of addiction, then maybe, they shall stop taking alcohol. An old gentleman, around 74/75 years old, was one day walking along the Puri Sea Beach. He could find small fishes being deposited on the beach by the tide. He threw back the live fishes into the sea. Behind him, a group of young men, around 20/25 years of age were walking along the beach. They were all well-dressed and smoking cigarette and drinking bear. After walking along on the beach for about half-a-mile, the old man sat down to rest for a while. The young men enquired curiously as to why he threw back the fishes into the sea. The old man told them to ask this question to the fishes who were swimming in the sea. 'Why don't you ask the fishes'?, said the old man.
What have we learnt from this lesson? A complete and total change is necessary. What lessons have we learnt from our heritage? Is it the tradition of alcoholism?
A 'Shloka' is there, which means, all the animals and insects are dying a slow and agonizing death because of their addiction to sensual pleasures. Examples of Elephant, Insect, Deer, Bee and Fish are given in the Shloka. Man has all the five senses like the animals. But he has the potential to overcome them too.
The greatest 'Dharma' or religion of a human being is humanity. Therefore, we must accept and realize this ultimate truth. Whatever we are doing and is happening to us is due to our education and upbringing. Even our culture has failed to inculcate the basic values of decency and religion in us. This is why 20 to 30% of the people are going astray. Mr. Padhi said just now that all the 66 prisoners whom he interviewed and who were imprisoned on account of drug trafficking told that after they were released, they would again go back to their original profession. This phenomenon is not strange in Cuttack City either. Following the mass death in Liquor Tragedy of 1992, the people at Cuttack stopped drinking for some time completely. But this was only for a very short while. As you know, habits die hard. Once again these people went back to their wayward life-style and started boozing.
We have seen how Bin Laden who is responsible for the spread of terrorism himself became a dreaded drug mafia. The reason behind this is that drug abuse is a concomitant practice of terrorism. The most brilliant minds are indulging in drug trafficking.
In our society these things are however unacceptable. Here in this context I would like to mention the name of Sri Baishnab Pani, the famous and highly acclaimed Oriya lyricist and dramatist. He had once written a song describing the ill effects of alcohol. But contrastingly enough, he himself became addicted to alcohol. In spite of being such a vibrant and talented personality, he ruined his career. Alcohol thus proved to be the nemesis of his genius.
Addiction as such is hereditary too. It remains through out generations. We can't alter our genes. Those who are drinking alcohol possess the power to digest alcohol. But the constant abstention from the practice of alcoholism can alter the blue print of a gene in the long run of course.
Project Swarajya is especially meant for the people who cannot abstain voluntarily from the drinks. People who want to quit drinks are always welcome here. We do not bother about non-alcoholics and teetotalers. But on the other hand, if everyone in this world is good and law-abiding, then what will the police and lawyers do? The police are there to perform their duties because of these anti-socials only. Similarly Project Swarajya is there because some people have already ruined themselves but want somehow to recover.
India is now poised on the threshold of the 21st century. The new President-elect of our country has said that in this 21st century, India shall make gigantic strides in the field of economic and technological advancement. But at the same time the consumption of alcohol and drugs shall also increase ten-fold. People are now predicting that the 'Satyayuga' has begun in India. The rate of mortality has fallen, financial and economic disparities are slowly disappearing, and there is no shortage of food and shelter either. Therefore, all the extra income and money of the people is being drained after the harmful substances. The reason for this is that alcohol and drugs give them immense pleasure. After consuming alcohol, if a person thinks that he is Atal Bihari Vajapayee, then can any body dare to contradict him? After getting drunk, anyone can say anything, about anybody.
In the older days, alcohol was strictly sold only in medical stores and pharmaceutical shops. But now, the sale of alcohol has become very widespread. Shops selling foreign liquor have come up everywhere. Nowadays, even country liquor is being sold everywhere in the towns and cities. We can find a liquor shop in almost every lane and locality of our city. The people are now indulging in drinking openly, in spite of being aware of its dangers and consequences. Nowadays, the government is also granting license to the owners of foreign liquor shops. But, at the same time, country liquor stores are also sprouting up along with them. All of us know about these nefarious developments.
Once again, a Commission may be required to be set up to investigate deaths caused by the sale of spurious alcohol. Only yesterday itself, I found three people in our locality screaming obscenities at one anther under the spell of drink. Our locality has gained notoriety for this reason.
Drugs and alcohol should not be placed in the same class or category. Sleeping tablets are the largest selling medicine, now being sold all over the world. Alcohol comes second and drugs occupy the third position. If you can completely grasp or understand the bad effects of these things i.e, alcohol and drugs, then we can make rapid social and economic progress. People who are addicted to alcohol should be warned about the dangers of this lethal substance. They develop pot-bellies, dark circles under their eyes and become impotent. They shall definitely stop taking alcohol if they are forewarned about the malignant effects of such substances. This advice or warning should especially be imparted to teenagers and youngsters. Chronic smokers develop dark circles around their eyes, their lips become dark and ugly, their voice cracks, memory fails sharply and they look pale and sickly.
At present people are using expensive cosmetics to enhance their appearance. Hence, if we tell them that they are look ugly due to drug and alcohol, then immediately they may stop taking alcohol and drugs. We can warn a child about this. But can we say the same thing to an I.A.S officer who is a regular visitor to Bhubaneswar Club? Therefore, in the present age and society, we cannot say certain things to certain people. If a person doesn't heed or listen to your advice, then what is the use of telling them? Even if you tell them, it is useless since they are doing this consciously and deliberately.
Our locality, Neema Sahi, near the Seminary School, is a notorious den of brown sugar and drugs. A police officer Mr. Kundu, had carried out a series of raids in our locality and had shut down most of these establishments. But, alas! In spite of these stringent measures and raids, the sale of drugs still continues unabated and people still go on taking brown sugar, which has spread drastically. Heroin too is being sold regularly in Cuttack, and this is being taken in the form of injections. The fear of contracting the deadly disease AIDS is always there, if heroin addicts continue to use infected syringe. As Mr. Padhi had mentioned earlier, in the North Eastern provinces of our country, where AIDS has spread extensively due to the use of Heroin, even prisoners in jails are being kept in isolation. At present, the largest number of AIDS patients are in Maharastra and then in the North-Eastern parts of India, especially in Manipur. Manipur is relatively near to Calcutta. Nearly 40 lakh Oriyas reside or stay in Calcutta. Therefore, it is not at all improbable for the spread of AIDS in Orissa. Hence if the inhabitants of Manipur while taking heroin contract HIV virus and develop AIDS, and if they come to Calcutta, automatically the Oriya people shall naturally be affected by this deadly disease, which in due course shall spread to Cuttack. As you know, the plague spread from Surat to Manipur, because it is a highly infectious and contagious disease. Instead of speaking out too much on problem of drug abuse in general, if we can successfully point out the bad effects of these intoxicants to the addicts, then we may succeed in fighting this menace effectively.
INTERACTION WITH AUDIENCEQuestion: Why are O.A.S and I.A.S officers more addicted to alcohol and drugs?
Dr. Niranjan Tripathy: No, no, you should not say like that. It is a matter of habit and practice. If I.P.S and I.A.S officers, who have enough money and ample resources donot posses conscience of their own, then every thing they do would be disastrous. Among higher class of people, it is termed as social drinking. They say that if you take 30 ml of alcohol daily, then it is extremely beneficial for our health. Everything has it's advantages and disadvantages. Too much, or excess of anything, even alcohol, can prove to be highly adverse or degrade our physical and mental health.
Question: If a man is smoking a cigarette, and his son starts smoking, then immediately he is severely punished by his father. Why it happens so?
Dr. Niranjan Tripathy: Now-a-days, teachers teach and preach us a lot of things. We should try to do as they say, but should never follow what they are doing. Even an adult, from the age of 15, is aware of the adverse effects of smoking, such as discoloration of lips and teeth and continuous dryness of the throat. But in spite of all this, he carries on smoking. The reason for this is that inhalement of nicotine creates receptors in the human body. When these receptors get diminished, one gets urge to smoke again.