CPM state secretariat stated that the issues related to bar licence were created by the govt with the hidden objective of making political gain during elections. The statement issued after the state Secretariat said the govt wanted to get the support from the people wanting total prohibition and to mount pressure on the bar-owners to get financial gains. With the renewal of licences to 315 star bars, the govt has made it known that total prohibition was not its policy. The statement said that KPCC president V M Sudheeran while trying for his image makeover, has no clear stand on the issue.
Bar licence has been made a tool for turf war in the faction-ridden Congress, the statement said. It has been pointed out that there was no truth in the claim that liquor sale has come down since April 1. The liquor sale is going on uninterrupted in star bar hotels and Bevco outlets. The spread of illicit liquor is going on unchecked.
The statement criticised the govt for not opening 418 bar hotels and leaving over 20,000 workers jobless. It also pointed out that govgt had no policy to rehabilitate the workers. While it has been a practice to declare the abkari policy before March 31 every year, the UDF Govt had not shown any interest in declaring the policy.
The secretariat blamed the govt for misleading the people on the bar licence issue.