Walking the tightrope on the liquor policy Premium
The Hindu
The LDF government would do well to forge a political and social consensus first
A leaked voice message from a WhatsApp group of members of the Federation of Kerala Hotels Association (FKHA), a powerful and rich lobby of bar owners in Kerala, has sparked a controversy in the State.
The voice note, recorded by an FKHA office bearer, purportedly urged bar owners to pool money to influence the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s upcoming liquor policy. The message surfaced days after the Kerala Tourism Department held a routine online meeting of stakeholders, including hotel, resort, and houseboat owners.
The Leader of the Opposition, V.D. Satheesan, who belongs to the Congress, accused the government of dangling the prospect of lifting dry days and extending bar timings in exchange for sizeable backhanders from the liquor lobby. He alleged that the FKHA had sought ₹2.5 lakh each from its 801 members to raise ₹20 crore for the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist). Mr. Satheesan said corruption, and not statecraft or public good, informed the LDF’s policymaking. He also demanded the resignation of Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh and Tourism Minister Mohammad Riyaz, who, he alleged, were at the centre of the plot.
Youth Congress workers marched to Mr. Rajesh’s official residence holding a cash counting machine and demanded his resignation. The same machine was used by the LDF in 2016 as a metaphor for liquor policy-related “corruption” in the United Democratic Front (UDF) government led by Oommen Chandy. The LDF’s agitation then cost two UDF ministers their Cabinet berths, though the consequent anti-corruption inquiry came to nought.
The current controversy has therefore evoked a sense of political déjà vu. The UDF is all set to launch anti-government protests, would be reminiscent of the restive days of 2016.
Denying the accusations, the State government says it perceives a political plot to undermine the public’s trust in the LDF’s policymaking. The police have opened a probe to establish the motive for the FKHA’s fundraising bid.
The FKHA has stated that it sought to raise funds from members to build an office in Thiruvananthapuram and not to bribe the government.
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