Call to unite for total prohibition in Tamil Nadu

"A woman, who works for daily wages, told us that she is hesitant to return home every day after work fearing abuse by her husband," she says.

C. Periyasamy (67) is a member of the ‘Youth Walk for Liquor-free Society’ organised from Kanyakumari to Chennai by the People’s Movement Against Liquor and Drugs (PMALD).

“The days I spent interacting with people creating awareness of total prohibition is what I consider the most meaningful period in my life,” Mr. Periyasamy, a retired regional probation officer from Ariyalur, told The Hindu on Thursday at the Gandhi Memorial Museum.

M. Anandhi Ammal from Chennai, who advocates total prohibition in the State, says that the team came across a large number of women, who are victims of domestic abuse because of liquor. “A woman, who works for daily wages, told us that she is hesitant to return home every day after work fearing abuse by her husband,” she says.

The team also encountered a 10-year-old boy who asked if there was any medicine to cure his father’s addiction to liquor, Ms. Anandhi Ammal adds. “Such incidents gave us more determination to fight against liquor and all the people should come together for total prohibition in the State,” she further says.

They also met a few families where the children had to drop out of schools to earn the bread after their fathers became alcoholics. R. Senthamilselvi, another member of the team, rues that a large number of school and college students are becoming liquor addicts under peer pressure.

Liquor addiction is one of the major reasons for the rise in number of crimes in society, says S. Dhanaraj, coordinator of the walk. “In several families, young girls are sent to textile mills for work under Sumangali scheme and their fathers use the money to get drunk,” she claims.

In order to create awareness among youth, the team makes students take a pledge against drinking liquor in each district.

S. Thiraviam (66), a visually challenged motor mechanic, notes that most of the addicts they encountered vowed to stop drinking if the TASMAC outlets were closed down. “They said they were unable to resist drinking if liquor is sold in every street,” he adds.

Besides implementing total prohibition, the State should provide rehabilitation for families of addicts for their better livelihood, says Inamul Hasan, organiser of PMALD. “Involvement of civil society and students is required to bring total prohibition in the State,” concludes the 26 year-old.