THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the Left government decided to reopen liquor outlets at panchayats with more than 10,000 residents, the move has drawn flak from various quarters. Both the Opposition UDF and Church leaders have come out against the decision.The LDF government is reopening liquor outlets to fulfil the promise to bar owners, alleged Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.
The LDF is misusing the Supreme Court order to meet the promise given to bar owners to sabotage the then UDF government, Chennithala said. Referring to the bar bribery case against former finance minister K M Mani, Chennithala pointed out the recent revelations by Kerala Bar Hotels Association leader Biju Ramesh. “Last month, Biju Ramesh had revealed that CPM leaders had promised to reopen bars once they come to power. Now, the LDF is fulfilling the same,” he said.
Chennithala alleged that the government was misinterpreting the SC verdict on giving relaxations to panchayats with the nature of municipalities. As per the government order, panchayats with more than 10,000 residents have been termed as those with the nature of municipalities. With this, liquor outlets can be opened at even remote panchayats as any panchayat in the state will have a population of more than 10,000, he said.“The Left government is trying to make Kerala a land of boozers in a phased manner. Earlier, the government had exempted the clause making permission from local bodies mandatory for opening liquor outlets,” he added.
it will befall on the state like the Ockhi disaster: Bishop
Kalpetta: Coming down heavily on the LDF Government’s new liquor policy, Thamarassery Diocese Bishop Mar Remigiose Inchananiyil on Saturday said it would befall on the state like the Ockhi disaster. It will also reflect in the Chengannur bypolls, he said. “The decision of the state government to allow bars even in villages with a population of over 10,000 is an open violation of the promises made by the LDF during the polls. The LDF Government has cheated the people who elected it. The new liquor policy will affect the morale of many people who are fighting against social evils such as alcohol,” he said. It’s unethical for the state government to make money using evil means if the state exchequer is running short of funds.
Govt succumbed to liquor lobby, says KCBC
T’Puram: A day after the state government decided to reopen liquor outlets which were closed down earlier, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council has come out against the move. Terming the move a challenge to the people, Archbishop Soosa Pakiam alleged the Left Government has succumbed to the liquor lobby. The attempt to make alcohol freely available at the panchayat level under the cover of a court verdict is a challenge to the people and a policy failure from the Left Government, said KCBC president Archbishop Soosa Pakiam. The Left Government should not find itself ridiculed with the liquor policy, he added. In a statement issued here, the KCBC chief expressed strong protest over the Left Government’s move. The Left had come to power promising not to open any new liquor outlets. Also it had promised to promote abstinence from liquor. But the government has succumbed to the liquor lobby, the Archbishop said.
Vellappally flays religious heads
Alappuzha: SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan said on Saturday the stance of the religious heads against the liquor policy would not get reflected in the Chengannur Assembly bypoll. He was speaking to reporters at Mavelikkara here. “The government is trying to implement the SC order. If the government fails to act, it will have to face contempt proceedings. The statements of religious heads will only create a reverse effect on voters in Chengannur,” he said. Meanwhile, Chengannur Assembly bypoll candidate P S Sreedharan Pillai called on Vellappally in a bid to break the ice between the BDJS and the BJP. Later Vellappally told reporters the issues between the two parties remained unsolved.
‘Govt is trying to make Kerala a land of boozers’
T’Puram: Coming down heavily on the government, former KPCC chief V M Sudheeran alleged the government was trying to make Kerala a land of boozers under the cover of the Supreme Court order. While condemning the decision to reopen closed down bar hotels at panchayats, Sudheeran urged the government to withdraw from the move. Sudheeran rejected the government’s argument that closing down bar hotels affected the tourism industry.