Wednesday’s suicide by seventeen-year-old Dinesh Nallasivan in Tirunelveli district because of the torture by his alcoholic father has brought to the fore again the call for prohibition in Tamil Nadu. The daily agitation by the DMK for Cauvery Management Board has taken a backstage for the time being as the tragic story of Dinesh was unravelled by statements from his close relations.
It was revealed by Thursday that Dinesh took to the extreme step because his father forcefully took away whatever the former had saved by working as a tea stall boy to meet his educational expenses. Dinesh was preparing for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test scheduled for May 6 as he was an aspirant for the MBBS course.
What shocked his relations and friends was the suicide note and the pocket diary found in Dinesh’s backpack. He had written his name as “Dinesh, MBBS, MD.” Had his father not assaulted him and spared his savings, Dinesh would not committed suicide, said one of his relations. “The boy was being harassed by his father and step-mother. He was always ill- treated by them,” said a woman relation of Dinesh.
Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, Chief Ministerial candidate of the PMK, reiterated his demand to declare total prohibition in Tamil Nadu. “It is high time Tamil Nadu Government declared the State free of liquor. The argument that the State would lose Rs 29,000 crore if liquor business is closed does not hold water anymore. There are avenues through which the Government could compensate the shortfall. If the sand and minerals in the State are auctioned, the exchequer would be reach by nearly Rs 3,00,000 crore every year. This will also generate thousands of jobs,” Dr Anbumani said in a statement on Thursday.
G K Vasan, president of the Tamil Manila Congress, a breakaway faction of the Congress created a flutter by asking the Government of Tamil Nadu to provide a cash compemsation of Rs 25 lakh for Dinesh’s family.