My remark on AG was misquoted, says Sudheeran

Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC President V M Sudheeran Monday said he had in fact criticised the stand adopted by the Advocate General in the High Court in connection with the liquor policy.

“I only pointed out lapses on the part of Advocate General in handling the case connected with bars and it was not my objective to caste aspirations against any high person. I was misquoted on the matter,” Sudheeran told reporters here.

“I don’t want to stoke further controversies on the issue,” Sudheeran said.

“Wine is served in churches as part of the ritual of Christians. This is a tradition followed by the Christians for the past 100 years. The Congress party doesn’t want to intervene into it,” he said.

Ever since he took over as KPCC chief a few months ago, Sudheeran had spearheaded an anti—liquor campaign and was adamant that the 418 bars closed in the state due to poor quality should not be reopened.

The bar issue had threatened to spur up factionalism in the Congress with leaders loyal to Sudheeran and Chandy coming out in support of their respective leaders.

When reports spread that a section of leaders in Congress was in favour of liquor lobby, Chandy stepped in and convened a meeting of UDF leaders on August 21 and succeeded in finalising the new policy with the objective of ‘total prohibition’ in ten years time.