If voted to power, we will strive for prohibition: M Karunanidhi

 

“A question has arisen about enforcing prohibition again? Therefore, DMK, if voted back to power, will take strenuous efforts to enforce prohibition so as to usher in social change and progress,” Karunanidhi said, in a brief statement issued solely to ‘popularize’ the surprise announcement. 

 

Till this evening, the DMK and ruling AIADMK have been only two parties in the state who had not pushed for prohibition. The DMK joins ranks with the rest of the Opposition, including DMDK and his erstwhile allies Congress, VCK, MDMK and Left parties who have been demanding prohibition for long.

 

The surprise announcement might be a setback to the PMK. Dr Ramadoss and his CM-aspirant son Dr Anbumani were popularizing their “prohibition slogan” to the most superlative degree, hoping that it would be a vote getter among women in next year’s polls. The announcement comes in the backdrop of videos going viral on social networking sites that showed children being made to consume alcohol by force.

 

The announcement may help the five-time chief minister, who holds the credit for lifting prohibition first in 1971, in deflecting the barbs fired at him for promoting Tasmac shops during his previous tenure. Also, it may help him in winning some friends in the Opposition who are die-hard campaigners of enforcing total prohibition. In doing so, Karunanidhi has also cornered the ruling AIADMK, which cannot easily afford to enforce prohibition, which will cost a whopping Rs 25,000 crore to the exchequer.