The anti-liquor coalition consisting of various religious, political and social organisations have launched a struggle against the new liquor policy of the LDF government in the State.
Inaugurating the fasting here on Friday, former KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran said those who were expected to safeguard the people have turned themselves into their destroyers.
Calling upon the government to issue a white paper on the new liquor policy, Mr. Sudheeran said the government had declared a war on the people through the liquor policy and have abolished the rights of the local bodies to sanction liquor shops in their vicinity.
According to him, the claim that the liquor ban had resulted in increase in substance abuse was only an excuse to roll out the new policy.
In his presidential address, Metropolitan Philipose Mar Chrysostum said those who encourage drinking should be declared ‘anti-social elements.’
Inaugurating the conference Union Minister of State for Tourism K. J. Alphons said the nation does not need a generation lost in liquor.
According to former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the LDF government was moving ahead with a clear abkari policy and it was for the benefit of the liquor barons. By changing the status of the State and national highways, the State government has put more burden on the people, he said. While the LDF government has not been able to reverse the arrack ban introduced by the UDF government they have totally nullified the people friendly IMFL policy introduced by the UDF government.
K. M. Mani, MLA, Kuriakose Mor Saverios, Mar Joseph Perumthottam, Mar Mathew Moolakkatt (all archbishops), Bishop Thomas K. oommen, Jose K. Mani, MP, and others spoke.
The conference also declared an action plan for the next two months which includes satyagraha by leaders of religious and social organisations on September 23 at Thiruvananthapuram, people’s march on the Secretariat on October 17, ‘Nilpusamaram’ at Angamali on October 20 and door-to-door campaigns.
