Written by Parimal A DabhiAhmedabad | December 8, 2025 04:32 AM IST 2 min readUttar Pradesh Governor and former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on Sunday spoke against relaxing liquor prohibition in Gujarat citing women’s safety and added that in Uttar Pradesh there are some places where women cannot move out freely even today.Speaking at the launch of the Gujarati edition of a book on her life — Chunautiyan Mujhe Pasand hai (I like Challenges) attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, she equated him to Chanakya and added that he would advise even Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Patel and Shah were Cabinet ministers during Modi’s tenure as Gujarat CM.Anandiben spoke after Shah and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who left soon after giving their speeches as they had to attend another event.Speaking in Gujarati , Anandiben said: “The Home Minister just left for another event. We all know him… by the name of Chanakya. And he is indeed Chanakaya. (He knows) whom to promote and whom not to…”.“He (Shah) would tell even Narendrabhai…this is what should be done. Because we used to sit together in the cabinet. These things suit him, not me. I have the soul of a teacher…I cannot indulge in anything else but teaching. All that is for him (Shah),” she said.On liquor prohibition in Gujarat, she said: “I have heard that you are talking about opening (relaxing) darubandi in Gujarat. I have read it in newspapers. In our Gujarat, women can play garba till four in the night and it is because of darubandi. Whereas, in Uttar Pradesh, at some places, such is the situation that women cannot move out even today. We should think a lot before doing everything. What consequences will it bring…Look where families of those who remained ACS (additional chief secretaries) and CS (chief secretaries) here have settled (after retirement). Did they go back (to their home states) or settled in Gujarat? Why did they settle in Gujarat? Peace for (their) daughters, for women. And that peace cannot be allowed to be breached.”Story continues below this adAt the event earlier, Shah heaped praise on Patel, saying that she “patiently handled agitations”, a likely reference to the Patidar agitation of 2015.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Anandiben PatelGujarat