In a sign of changing times, the Kerala HC has spoken for tipplers who get a raw deal

Piloo Mody, one of the best parliamentarians our country has seen, told then Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who broached the idea of a countrywide prohibition in 1978: “I can live for any number of years without liquor. But I cannot survive even for a minute without the right to consume liquor.” It is said that Desai dropped the idea of prohibition after listening to Mody. Therefore, the Kerala High Court’s observation, that liquor outlets in the State resemble “dingy drug and gambling dens seen in old Bollywood movies”, reminded one of Mody’s words. The observation about the State-owned liquor shops, made by Justice Devan Ramachandran who personally visited the outlets to witness the pathetic situation there, has to be taken seriously. The situation in Tamil Nadu is no different. The Government-owned Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd, which monopolises liquor outlets, is no better than its Kerala counterpart. Buying a bottle of liquor is a harrowing experience in both the States; calling them unhygienic and ugly is an understatement. The State administrations nationalised liquor business only because of the amount of money involved and not because of their love for citizens.

After the State Government took over liquor sales, the number of tipplers in both the States shot up. Consumers queue up in front of the Bevco and Tasmac outlets in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the early morning itself. There is no infrastructure to guard the lined-up tipplers from scorching sun or heavy downpour. Both Kerala and Tamil Nadu have banned the production and sale of country liquor, a favourite staple in these States. However, the truth is that spurious alcohol could be bought anywhere there from bootleggers who cock a snook at the law-enforcing agencies. The neighbouring Puducherry is a study in contrast. The liquor shops there are well stocked and consumers are free to choose their favourite brands from beautifully arranged collections. There are no liquor-related crimes in the Union Territory, which shows that restricting the sale and consumption of spirits has been counterproductive in both the States. Moreover, the sale and consumption of narcotic products have multiplied in Tamil Nadu and Kerala which is a matter of serious concern. It is time for these States to give a serious thought to their aversion to dignified liquor sales. Tipplers, too, are eligible for a fair deal.