Jaya's assurance on liquor sale ban abandoned, says Dhinakaran faction

The rebel AIADMK faction spearheaded by T T V Dhinakaran on Wednesday accused the Chief Minister K Palaniswami-led regime of abandoning late J Jayalalithaa's poll promise of a complete ban on liquor sale in Tamil Nadu.

AIADMK mouthpiece "Dr Namadhu MGR", which supports the Dhinakaran camp, said Amma's (Jayalalithaa) dream of prohibition was shattered and the "Palaniswami regime is getting happy by pushing Tamil Nadu womenfolk to tears." The faction alleged that the government had not opened any rehabilitation centres as part of efforts to close all state-run retail liquor outlets as promised by Jayalalithaa during the 2016 assembly polls.

Accusing the government of betraying the people over prohibition policy and abandoning Jayalalithaa's poll assurance, the mouthpiece said people will "trounce," the ruling regime in the upcoming local body elections.

Describing Palaniswami and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam as "symbols of betrayal", the daily said the recent R K Nagar bypoll victory for Dhinakaran proved that "betrayal cannot win."

It hailed jailed leader V K Sasikala and Dhinakaran for dedicating themselves to the cause of carrying forward the work of 'Amma' (Jayalalithaa).

During the 2016 election campaign, Jayalalithaa had said prohibition cannot be implemented at a single stroke.

Assuring staggered liquor ban, she had said the number of liquor vends would be reduced and their working hours cut short. She also had assured opening rehabilitation centres as part of efforts to bring in prohibition.

Jayalalithaa followed up on her promise after her party was voted back to power in 2016.
On May 23, 2016, the day she took over as Chief Minister for the sixth time, she ordered closure of 500 state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) retail liquor outlets.

Effective May 24 of that year, the working hours of retail liquor outlets and bars were also reduced.

The outlets were ordered to work between noon to 10 pm. Previously they were open from 10 am to 10 pm.

Palaniswami followed up on the issue when he ordered closure of 500 more shops after he won a vote of confidence following assumption of office as Chief Minister in February last year.