Kerala Archbishop condemns new liquor policy in state, demands its withdrawal

Thiruvananthapuram – The Congress Ministry's "diluted liquor policy" announced last week drew flak both from the Opposition CPM and the Archbishop of Trivandrum, for two different reasons.

The Oommen Chandy Ministry had liberalized many provisions in Abkari policy such as scrapping closure of liquor shops on the first of every month, allowing some 50 more (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) IMFL outlets, making two–star hotels and luxury houseboats eligible for beer and wine licences.

The CPM State Secretary Pinarai Vijayan castigated the Congress ministry for liberalising the IMFL outlets while neglecting the traditional brew, toddy.

The Chandy Ministry's move to grant at least 50 more IMFL shops is to please the IMFL lobby", said Vijayan in a press statement, recently. He said instead of making available less heady brew at reasonable prices, the government was encouraging expensive foreign liquor brands at the detriment of ethnic brew. The CPM wanted the new abkari policy rescinded.

The Archbishop of Trivandrum Diocese, M. Soosapakiam has, in a press statement, regretted the Congress Ministry was reneging on the party manifesto of implementing total prohibition by stages in Kerala.

The archbishop said the per capita consumption of alcohol in Kerala was already the highest in India and further pampering the liquor trade was suicidal.

He demanded that the government immediately withdraw the soft abkari policy that was announced recently.

However, brushing aside the anti–liquor lobby and political protests, the Kerala Excise Minister Vakkom Purushothaman asserted recently that the liberalized liquor policy making available wine, beer, and toddy in ample measure would be implemented despite threats and ridicule coming from some quarters.