(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Chief Minister advocates practical changes googletag.
The liquor policy of the Congress-led United Democratic Front government in Kerala has come under fresh scrutiny after Chief Minister Oommen Chandy suggested practical changes in the policy.
The high court has sought details of the changes by January 10 when it will take up the petitions filed by the bar owners against the policy for final hearing. A division bench comprising Justice K T Shankaran and P D Rajan gave the direction when the bar owners pointed out the Chief Minister’s announcement on the changes in the State Assembly on Wednesday.
Chandy had hinted at changes in accordance with the observations made by the court on the implementation of the policy and concerns expressed by various sections of the people including the tourism industry and workers of the closed bars. The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led opposition Left Democratic Front has viewed it as part of a bid to cover up the corruption alleged by bar owners. Leader of opposition V S Achuthanandan alleged that the changes were intended to save Finance Minister K M Mani who has been accused of receiving bribe of Rs.10 million from bar owners for reopening 418 closed bars.
Raising the issue in the Assembly on Thursday he said the bar owners had not pressed their charges against Mani after they received an assurance from the government about actions favourable to them. He said that the setbacks the government have suffered in all recent cases in the high court were also an indication of the deal with the bar owners. Denying any deal with bar owners the Chief Minister said that the government would not make any changes in the basic objectives of the policy which envisages immediate closure of all the bars and phased closure of retail outlets in 10 years. The changes would be brought only after discussions with all concerned.
However Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president V.M. Sudheeran has ruled out the need for any further discussion on the policy. He told reporters at Quilon on Thursday that the policy was the result of prolonged discussions at various levels in the last three decades. The decision to introduce phased prohibition was unanimously taken by all the UDF constituents. They had taken all practical aspects into considerations while approving the policy. There is no need for any change in it now.
However Sudheern said that the party was ready to consider the tourism industry’s fears about the impact of the policy on the foreign tourist arrivals. Sudheeran said that he would talk to Chief Minister about this and see what could be done to address their concerns.
The KPCC chief said there was need to sharpen the legal battle against the bar owners. Judiciary cannot stand in the way of people’s welfare and government’s policies. A court should not take decisions based on technical aspects alone he added.
— newskhaleejtimes.com
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