(MENAFN- Live Mint) Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitendra (Jitu) Patwari has sparked a major controversy after claiming that women in the state consume more alcohol than anywhere else in the country. His remarks, delivered at a public address and later reiterated in Bhopal, have triggered a heated political and social debate.

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In his speech, Congress leader Jitu Patwari attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), holding it responsible for unemployment, rising alcoholism, and the spread of narcotics in Madhya Pradesh.

“If your son is unemployed, if your son is coming home drunk, then I am saying this with 100% confidence that the BJP, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Mohan Yadav are responsible for this,” Patwari said.

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Jitu Patwari went further to allege that Madhya Pradesh had become the state with the highest female alcohol consumption in India.

“Our sisters and daughters have started consuming intoxicants. The BJP sought votes in the name of schemes like Ladli Behna, but never took serious steps to protect women from substance abuse. Today, Madhya Pradesh has been reduced to a state where women consume alcohol the most in India,” the Congress leader declared.

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The comments by Jitu Patwari provoked immediate backlash from the ruling party in Madhya Pradesh. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi described the remarks as“indecent”, while state spokesperson Neha Bagga accused Patwari of insulting women to score political points.

“When a leader runs out of substance, he resorts to false figures to malign women. This is not just a murder of statistics, but an assault on women's dignity. Women are not intoxicated, your mindset is,” Bagga said in a sharp rebuttal.

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Contrary to Jitu Patwari's assertions, official statistics suggest Madhya Pradesh ranks far below several states when it comes to women's alcohol consumption.

According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21):

• Arunachal Pradesh records the highest proportion of women drinkers at nearly 26%.
• In Sikkim, the figure is 16.2%, while Assam, Telangana, and Jharkhand also rank significantly higher.
• In comparison, only 1.6% of women in Madhya Pradesh reported consuming alcohol, well below the national average.
  

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Alcohol policy has long been a sensitive issue in Madhya Pradesh politics. Governments have been criticised both for liberalising liquor sales to boost revenue and for failing to crack down on illicit trade. Women's groups in rural areas have repeatedly demanded stricter restrictions, linking alcohol abuse to domestic violence, poverty, and social instability.

Jitu Patwari's statement appears to be an attempt to link these longstanding issues with the BJP's governance record. However, his remarks about women have shifted the debate towards gender sensitivity, leaving him open to criticism.

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The controversy around the alcohol consumption remark overshadowed Jitu Patwari's intended attack on unemployment and rising substance abuse. While his comments have drawn attention, the use of incorrect data and gendered generalisations risks weakening the Congress narrative at a time when the party is trying to mount a stronger challenge to the BJP in the state.

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