Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy sat patiently all through the UDF meet on Thursday while his coalition colleagues called for the 418 bars to stay closed. Though the plus-two school issue was also slated to be discussed at the meeting, the row over bars overruled the rest. KC (M) chairman K.M.Mani was a bit late to the UDF meeting which prompted Chandy to ask his colleagues to call him.
Chandy allowed the rest of the leaders to speak out on the issue of bringing in complete prohibition. The first to arrive was Socialist Janata (Democratic) leader Varghese George who was followed by CMP leader C.P.John and KC (J) chairman Johnny Nelloor. After a while Agriculture Minister and SJ (D) leader K.P.Mohanan, RSP leader A.A. Azeez, JSS leader A.N.Rajan Babu, KC (B) leader Venugopalan Nair, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty and PCC chief V.M.Sudheeran trooped in.
After Mani arrived, UDF convener P.P.Thankachan convened the meeting and said the main item on the agenda was the bar row. But an unofficial discussion on the plus-two row was on till Mani arrived. Chandy then said an extensive UDF meeting would be held at 4 pm on Sept 11. He said all the allies, Kerala Catholic Bishops Council representatives and anti-liquor campaigners had by now expressed their views on the raging bar row.
Sudheeran reiterated his stand that all the 418 bars be closed down and prohibition be brought in, in a phased manner. Chennithala also called for total prohibition in due course. Mani spoke very little and echoed Sudheeran's statements and said the matter of prohibition needed to be discussed in detail. Kunhalikutty and Azeez also offered wholehearted support to the KPCC leadership.
Johnny Nelloor who spoke after them recalled his role as a subcommittee member on the liquor policy when the age for drinking was raised from 18 to 21. C.P.John expressed his apprehension over total prohibition. He cited the example of Gujarat where liquor was in abundance now, though it was under total prohibition. He felt the Government should take steps to work against substance abuse. Mohanan was the lone silent observer and his party colleague Varghese George shared his sentiments.
Now it was the turn of Chandy to come up with the points he had prepared. He read out a printed document though he had added a few more points. He called for the existing 312 bars to be closed down much to the amusement of the allies. It was quite clear that Chandy had come well prepared. He badly wanted to shed the image that he and his loyal leaders, had not been the supporters of bar owners.
