Markandey Katju calls policy flawed
Former Chief justice feels that to reduce drinking standard of living needs to be raised
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-08-24 06:23 GMT
Thiruvananthapuram: After film maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan now Press Council of India chairman and former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju has slammed the UDF government’s prohibition policy. He said one was reminded the United States experience where prohibition was introduced through the18th Constitutional Amendment in 1920. But prohibition resulted in the growth of the Mafia and other organized criminal gangs which resorted to did widespread bootlegging.
“Ultimately it was realized that prohibition was counter productive and had failed. Consequently by the 21st Constitutional Amendment prohibition was done away with in U.S.A,’’ he said. Justice Katju said; “We must take a lesson from this historical experience. To reduce drinking liquor, education is required, not prohibition. Prohibition is only counter-productive.’’
The Press Council Chairman said; “Poor people often drink to get some temporary relief from their miserable life. So to reduce drinking we have to raise their standard of living and give them a decent life. This does not, of course, mean that rich or middle class people do not drink.’’
On Friday, noted film maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan had criticised the government decision saying that it was impractical.