'UDF's excise policy deceptive'

Thiruvananthapuram: Stressing on the LDF's 'alcohol abstinence' policy and without giving a clear answer on the revival of closed bars, senior CPI leader Benoy Viswam criticized the UDF excise policy. He termed it deceptive and the one that promotes the use of alcohol. Viswam alleged that the UDF was attempting to publicly misinterpret the LDF's liquor policy as the one that would reopen bars that were shut down.
“If one examines the liquor sales after the introduction of the liquor policy, there is no effective decrease.The policy has set the stage for a hike in beer and wine sales, while maintaining complete control over the sale of hard liquor.
The UDF is vague about its stance on the 33 clubs that are now serving alcohol,“ he said.
“Development of the state is the utmost concern of the LDF, but our election manifesto assures that that development will not be at the cost human life and nature,“ he said. The UDF government had ushered in unscientific developmental strategies that pose serious threat to ecological assets. “ A government, which preached liquor ban, alloted 20 acres of land in Palakkad to liquor baron Vijay Mallya's United Breweries. This move defies logic,“ he said, alleging that the government stood for corruption.
“The CPI and CPM alliance will win 100 plus seat in the upcoming election,“ he said. The alliance with Congress in West Bengal stemmed from a common point ­the methods adopted by Trinamool Congress. He said that the pro-capitalist ideologies shared by the Congress and the BJP is not one the Left parties will adopt.