An alert Opposition has pounced on the opportunity to push the government on the defensive with the Leader of the Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala, accusing the government of massive corruption behind the ‘secret decision’ at a time when the focus should be on rehabilitation of the flood victims. He also saw a nexus between the CPI(M) and the bar hotel owners.

Chennithala said the decision to sanction the new liquor units - the breweries are in Kannur, Palakkad and Ernakulam district while the proposed distillery is in Ernakulam - did not figure in the liquor policy of the government, Governor’s address to the state Assembly and the budget proposals of the finance minister. This was the first time in 17 years, Chennithala claimed, permission was given to start new liquor manufacturing units. The ostensible purpose behind the decision, he averred, was that it would generate employment. The decision went against a 1999 government order barring establishment of new liquor units.

Chennithala also took strong exception to another government order to permit two existing distilleries in Thrissur and Kannur to increase their manufacturing capacity. The shroud of secrecy over these policy deviations smacks of massive corruption, Chennithala asserted. The chief minister must explain the decision, he added.

The government has, of course, defended the decision, denying any corruption as alleged by the Opposition. The government has strictly gone by the excise policy and adhered to akbari laws in approving the proposal to set up the new liquor units, said excise minister T P Ramakrishnan.

The 1999 government order against the setting up of new liquor units did not bar the consideration of applications in future, Ramakrishnan said, adding that the excise department had fulfilled all the legal obligations before the Cabinet gave the green signal. The approval, in line with the government’s liquor policy, was aimed at reducing import of liquor from outside the state, he pointed out.

Be that as it may, the government has been put in a tight spot by the assertion of Chennithala that the decision was taken without taking the allies into confidence. What has added to the government’s discomfiture is the remark by CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran that his party was not aware of the decision to sanction new liquor units. Kanam’s terse reply in a way vindicates the allegation of the opposition that the allies were in the dark about the decision.

The excise minister has, however, tried to argue that there was no need to discuss the matter with the allies, which was part of the liquor policy approved by the LDF. What the minister was trying to say was that since the LDF had approved it, the CPI, a constituent of the LDF, was also a party to the decision. Kanam has not reacted to the minister’s contention so far. But it is clear that the CPI is not happy about the manner in which the government has gone about the issue. (IPA Service)