Difference in Congress blocks decision on bar issue: Muslim League

Kozhikode: The Muslim League is finding fault with the Congress and the dissimilarities among its leaders over the bar issue for the failure of reaching in a consensus on the matter.

“The main obstruction to reach in a consensus is the Congress leaders’ difference of opinion on the issue,” said Muslim League General Secretary K P A Majeed here on Thursday.

The liquor lobby in the State is so powerful that they can even influence the government decisions, said Basheer, whose party is one of the strong supporters of KPCC president V M Sudheeran on the issue.

The League leader added that his party would always stand for the idea of complete liquor ban in the State.

The issue related to the reopening of 418 bar hotels, whose liquor license has not been renewed since April this year, has grown into be a major problem in the Congress.

Renewal of license of those bars was delayed in the wake of a Supreme Court order which asked the government to take a decision on these 418 bars, identified as sub-standard.

While Chief Minister Oommen Chandy wanted to allow reopening of bar hotels which meet the standard norms, V M Sudheeran has taken a firm no.