AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa promises total prohibition in phases
Updated by admin on
Sunday, April 10, 2016 12:00 AM IST
Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa on April 9 assured that she would bring out total prohibition in Tamil Nadu but in a phased manner if her party was voted back to power.
Jayalalithaa, launchiug the AIADMK poll campaign from her constituency in Chennai's R K Nagar, said liquor trade could not be abolished with a single stroke. She said it would have to be implemented in a phased manner resulting in complete prohibition. Initially the working hours of the TASMAC liquor shops would be reduced as also the number of shops. Bars attached to them would be closed, while rehabilitation centres would be opened, she added.
Jayalalithaa said she had weighed the cons before announcing this stand. “Everyone knows that if I make an announcement, I will implement it,” she added.
She said she had always wanted to bring about total prohibition but it would not be possible with a single signature. It could only be implemented in phases. More than one generation had grown up since 1971, when the DMK re-introduced the sale of alcohol. Therefore, it is not possible to do this in a day,” she said.
Recalling the prohibiton policy in the State, Jayalalithaa said that in 1937, prohibition was introduced in Salem, and then expanded to other areas.
On Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday in 1948 Tamil Nadu came under complete prohibition. However, in 1971, then chief minister M Karunanidhi, rejecting the plea of veteran leader C. Rajagopalachari, Karunanidhi lifted the ban.
She pointed out that in June 1971, Karunanidhi had mentioned in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that sale of liquor was prohibited by law, but it was actually a flourishing cottage industry. Jayalalithaa recalled that Karunanidhi had pointed out that everyone knew that this was the case. In 2007 too, during a debate on eradicating illicit arrack, he said it was impossible to get rid of it.
She said that in 1991, when she became the Chief Minister, she had put an end to cheap liquor since she had made a promise to the mothers. This decision was taken despite the loss projected at Rs 400 crore.
