MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government is planning to bring in a legislation to prevent the misuse of names of gods, goddesses, national figures and forts to beer bars, permit rooms, non-vegetarian eateries, folk art troupes and country liquor shops.
Minister for State Excise, Chandrashekhar Bawankule informed the legislative council on Friday about the legislation while replying to a calling attention notice moved by Amarsingh Pandit (NCP).
The Minister assured the house that the government shall make efforts to bring the law in the monsoon session of the State legislature in July 2017.
Presently there is no law to prevent such misuse, and departments of Labour and State Excise shall hold a joint meeting in drafting the proposed law soon, Chandrashekhar Bawankule added.
Raising the debate, Amarsingh Pandit stated that many liquor shops and beer bars have names like Jai Ambe, Ranapratap beer bar, or Mahalaxmi Tamasha Fad. He argued that this was an attempt at disfiguring history, and wanted the government to enact a law to prevent such misuse of names.
Senior Sena MLC Dr Neelam Gorhe, however, urged the government to limit the scope of the proposed law to liquor shops, otherwise it could create problems for people naming their children after gods and goddesses.
Replying to the debate, Chandrashekhar Bawankule termed the use of gods and goddesses names for liquor shops and beer bars as improper. He further stated that the government shall seek opinion of the Law and Judiciary department while drafting the proposed law.
Bawankule assured Amarsingh Pandit that the meeting of the Labour and State Excise departments shall be held in a fortnight.