‘Prohibition is a noble policy DMK will always accept. There is no second thought on it’
DMK leader M K Stalin. (Photo: DC)
Chennai: DMK treasurer M. K. Stalin on Monday reaffirmed his party’s commitment to enforce prohibition and said that prohibition would be the first assignment of the party after it returns to power.
Leading the party’s statewide protest demanding prohibition at Sholinganallur this morning, Stalin who punctured the wet arguments of state prohibition minister Natham Viswanathan, said, “I vow on behalf of Kalaginar (Karunanidhi) that enforcement of prohibition will be taken up as the first task when the DMK returns to power.”
“Prohibition is a noble policy the DMK will always accept. There is no second thought on it,” Stalin said, adding that his party president Karunanidhi has set in motion a prohibition revolution.
The DMK treasurer also admitted that they (DMK) neither want to deny or conceal the fact that the party had lifted prohibition in the past. Recalling the circumstances that led to the lifting of prohibition in 1971and subsequent re-introduction of prohibition during the then DMK regime in 1974, Stalin squarely blamed the AIADMK of opening up liquor flow in the state.
Pointing out that former chief minister MGR had allowed IMFL production in 1981 and later Jayalalithaa nationalized liquor sale in 2003, Stalin wondered if Natham Viswanathan deserved to speak about prohibition.
Apparently taking a dig at PMK founder Dr Ramadoss and his CM aspirant son who are annoyed over the rest of the Opposition hijacking the pro-prohibition campaign, Stalin said their announcement had shocked some people who are claiming that they fight for prohibition for 35 years.
“They (PMK) are shell shocked because Kalaignar’s announcement has transformed in to a peoples movement, a social movement. It had deprived them of the political fodder. That is the truth,” Stalin said.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
Next Story
