Prohibition becomes parties’ catchword
There is a mad race among parties to be identified as torch-bearers of prohibition
By : k. karthikeyan
Update: 2015-08-04 05:25 GMT
Chennai: Prohibition may not have lost its fizz in Tamil Nadu yet. Anti-liquor protests are beginning to reach dizzying heights every passing day and netas here have started believing that prohibition is a political currency they can still easily mint during elections.
At least, that’s the impression the high-spirited protests they have been announcing one after the other this week and the public outrage against Tasmac shops give. There is a mad race among parties to be identified as torch-bearers of prohibition.
Barely a fortnight has passed since videos of children consuming alcohol went viral online and DMK president M. Karunanidhi reignited the old debate by promising prohibition if voted back to power in 2016, pro-prohibition protests have already reached great heights in the state, thanks to political parties, rights and students groups who have now reduced the debate to choosing between liquor and people.
All but the ruling AIADMK has picked anti-liquor, a politically correct stand considering the continuous attack on Tasmac shops after anti-liquor crusader Sasiperumal’s death. Only once in the recent years, precisely, in 2009 when Eelam was the catchword of the state politics, has such unanimity been felt among opposition in Tamil Nadu.
While support pours in for the August 4 bandh jointly called for by MDMK’s Vaiko, VCK’s Tirumavalvan and MMK’s Jawahirullah, DMK chief Karunanidhi and DMDK’s Vijayakanth have already announced events.