Social activist Medha Patkar on Tuesday criticised the Tamil Nadu government for its prohibition policy.
Talking to reporters here, she said despite stiff opposition from the entire society, the Tamil Nadu government had been giving the lame excuse of a steep fall in revenue and a drop in tourist flow for not closing down TASMAC retail outlets.
“These excuses are totally unacceptable and unjust,” said Ms. Patkar, who is on a nation-wide ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Andolan’ (NMBA) (addiction-free India) campaign. About Gandhian Sasi Perumal, who died during a protest demanding total prohibition in the State, Ms. Patkar said his martyrdom had led to uprising of youth in a big way in the State.
Earlier, she visited his native village E. Mettukkadu, the native village of Sasi Perumal, and laid wreath at his memorial. She released a CD on him in the presence of his wife Magilam and sons S. Vivek and S. Navaneethan. She also administered an anti-liquor pledge to the villagers.
Later, she addressed the students of Holy Flower Higher Secondary School in the city, when she underlined the importance of the student power for the success of the anti-liquor campaign. Along with the students, Ms. Patkar and the other members of the yatra raised slogans “Ham sab yek hain [We are one]”; “No liquor, no drugs; we want drinking water”; “No liquor, no drugs; we want only free education”, and so on.