Make the drinking age to 18: Citizen

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government may have proposed to lower the drinking age from 25 to 21, but Delhiites aren’t saying ‘cheers’. In fact, they see it as a halfway measure. The refrain heard across the city is, “why not make it 18?”

When you can cast your vote, drive a vehicle and even sign a legal contract at 18, why does the government seek to curb what is finally a personal choice, wondered many indignant Delhiites.

‘‘Imagine I’m 18 years old. It’s my marriage tomorrow but I won’t be able to celebrate it with a drink,’’ says Aastha Joshi. ‘‘You know why? It’s because my government thinks that I’m not mature enough to drink, though I can marry and raise a family.’’

‘‘The law hasn’t stopped us from drinking now and it won’t later, so why are they undertaking this pointless exercise,’’ asks Pawan Gupta, a Class XII student.

Children and parents alike feel that if the government is finally going to review the minimum age, it should take a rational view and bring it at par with the age for voting and marriage.