CHENNAI: Upping the ante over the demand for total ban on liquor, DMDK and Congress separately announced a token fast on August 13 and 14 respectively while DMK and BJPheld protests on the issue today.
DMK staged protests across the state with its Treasurer M K Stalin, who led a demonstration here, declaring that implementing prohibition would be the first task if his party was voted to power in the Assembly elections next year.
"I would like to stress this and make it categorical. Assoon as DMK assumes power, as a first task we will implement prohibition, we will do it," Stalin said.
Joining the growing list of parties organising protests demanding prohibition, DMDK, the principal opposition in the the state Assembly, said its chief Vijaykanth would lead the fast at party headquarters here urging the AIADMK government to take steps to implement prohibition.
"People of Tamil Nadu desire ban on liquor and that is why it should be done. Liquor (availability and consumption) must be completely eradicated in Tamil Nadu and for that prohibition must be implemented, this is our policy," it said. DMDK had last week held a human chain protest here on the same issue.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President E V K S Elangovan told reporters in Erode that his party would hold a one-daytoken fast on August 14 in all districts, to press and propagate the importance of total prohibition. I would be leading the protest in Chennai, he said.
All opposition parties in the state were against liquor shops, he said, adding that he wanted the AIADMK government to impose total prohibition and save the people from the evil habit.
BJP, which today staged protests at various places, including Salem, also announced that its state unit chief Tamilisai Soundararajan would lead a "mega agitation" here tomorrow.
Similar protests would be held in several other parts of the state tomorrow, Soundararajan told PTI.
Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) chief G K Vasan said his party would undertake a signature campaign to press for prohibition.
The call by opposition parties for prohibition has gained momentum in the backdrop of the recent death of Gandhian and anti-liquor activist Sasi Perumal during a stir demanding closure of state-run IMFL shop in a town in Kanyakumari district.