Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa on Saturday promised to implement prohibition “in phases” in Tamil Nadu, while pointing out it would be impossible and impractical to ban liquor “in one signature”.
Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa on Saturday promised to implement prohibition “in phases” in Tamil Nadu, while pointing out it would be impossible and impractical to ban liquor “in one signature”.
Recognising that prohibition has emerged as the “hero” of all poll manifestos of her rivals, the AIADMK supremo told a huge rally organised to formally launch her campaign here for the May 16 state polls that she would phase out liquor if voted to power again. Achieving total prohibition was her goal and long-held policy, she stressed.
“My aim is to bring prohibition. When I first took over as chief minister in 1991, I banned the sale of country-made liquor despite incurring a loss of '400 crore... prohibition cannot be implemented in one signature. It has to be implemented in phases. When the AIADMK comes back to power, prohibition will be implemented in phases,” she said, claiming that the people know she would not take any decision without due analysis and understanding.
Ms Jayalalithaa said first the timings of the retail liquor shops would be changed, and then the number of shops would be reduced in phases, after which bars would be closed. “This is how total prohibition can be implemented in the state and this will be possible by the Jayalalithaa government which is by the people and for the people,” she said to wild applause from the audience which had a large number of women.
Lashing out at DMK president M. Karunanidhi for flaunting prohibition at the top of his poll promises, she said he lacked the locus standi to make such claims as it was he as chief minister in 1971 who had ended prohibition in Tamil Nadu. “Congress leader Rajaji had gone to Karunanidhi’s house, braving heavy rain, to plead with him not go ahead with his decision to lift prohibition. But Karunanidhi justified his decision and encouraged the sale of liquor on various occasions,” Ms Jayalalithaa said. She spoke seated behind a table on the dais fitted with a mike while her 21 candidates for Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvellore districts sat in two rows at a level just below.
Ms Jayalalithaa’s comments and the promise of prohibition came in the wake of repeated demands from Opposition parties and social organisations for total prohibition in the state. All the parties have pledged to close down Tasmac (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation) shops if voted to power — there are 6,876 shops across the state, selling liquor worth about '19,000 crore in a year and employing 28,000 workers.
Quoting Mr Karunanidhi’s speeches, in and outside the Tamil Nadu Assembly, against prohibition, the AIADMK supremo asked people to ponder over his “sudden turnaround” to promise a ban on liquor now. The DMK chief was also now saying that the people should not believe the AIADMK even if its manifesto promises prohibition. “This is Karunanidhi’s way of misleading the people. Why should he say this He encouraged drinking and more than one generation have grown with alcohol,” she said, quoting statistics to claim that the sale of liquor increased when the DMK was in power during 2006-2011.
Ms Jayalalithaa’s 45-minute speech focused on the “excellent work” done by the AIADMK government in the past five years, especially in Chennai city and its suburbs. “Gone are the days when the state witnessed 18-hour power cuts. We have ushered in a new era of power surplus state... the government led by me has implemented numerous welfare measures to uplift the downtrodden,” she said.
Introducing her 21 candidates to the public, she asked the people for a renewed mandate to deliver even more. She also referred to a survey done by the Union government that found Chennai to be the safest city in India for women.
