The Narendra Modi government has been toying with the ways to dilute the prohibition policy. The latest move is to allow all domestic tourists to buy a permit on arrival at the Ahmedabad airport, no questions asked. The state government would like us to believe that this would boost tourism.

Gujarat is the only state in the country to have a prohibition policy and that has not come in the way of its "development and progress". The anti-prohibition lobby argues big-ticket investors are deterred as they cannot wrap up their deals overs a peg of whisky or their executive on the plant visit cannot relax in the evening with a peg or two. And yet the state remain on top in terms of industrial investments. The lobby argues that allowing people to buy genuine stuff will check against the sale of moonshine, which claimed more than 30 lives last year.

But we would argue that if we are so concerned about saving lives, we should also consider lives lost to drunken driving in Delhi, Mumbai and elsewhere. The same lobby argues relaxing the prohibition would bring in more tourists but people come to Gujarat to visit Gandhiji's birthplace or Sabarmati Ashram, not for a binge party. Those taking a weekend break for boozing are not going to choose Gujarat over other places in any case. So what is the point of allowing any domestic traveler to buy liquor in Ahmedabad? Do you think this is the right move?