LDF govt has become slaves of liquor mafia: V M Sudheeran

Thiruvananthapuram: Former KPCC President V M Sudheeran on Tuesday said that the CPI-M-led LDF government in the State had become the slaves of liquor lobbies.

“The government is trying to force liquor outlets upon the people despite their opposition. The State tourism in fact witnessed growth when the UDF government banned liquor. The LDF’s claims of the liquor ban affecting the tourism sector are not true,” Sudheeran said.

He added the new decision of the government to reduce the minimum distance to be maintained for bars in hotels with four-star and above rating from places of worship and educational institutions from 200 meters to 50 metres had exposed the real face of Excise Commissioner Rishi Raj Sing.

Announcing the decision on September 1, State Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan had told reporters that necessary amendments in the rules were made considering a recommendation made by the Excise Commissioner in this regard.

"Excise commissioner had submitted a report on the difficulties faced by tourism sector to the government," he said.

The minimum distance of bars and places of worship and educational institutions was hiked from 50 metres to 200 metres by the previous Congress-led UDF government in 2011 as part of its liquor policy.

Opposition UDF and BJP have slammed the LDF government for reducing the distance to be maintained for bars alleging that government had succumbed to the liquor mafia in the state.