COIMBATORE: Minister for Prohibition and Excise S Muthusamy on Friday asked if there is no liquor sales in BJP ruled states.

He was responding to a remark by BJP state president K Annamalai that Tamil Nadu is turning into an alcoholic state. Muthusamy said the state government is not going door-to-door asking people to drink.

“Rather, the state is only campaigning against drinking. But, all Tasmac shops cannot be closed at one go. Liquor has to be permitted only because of certain situations. Is there no liquor sales in any of the BJP-ruled states?” he asked addressing reporters in Coimbatore on Friday.

Further, the Minister said the police were taking preventive measures to manage crowds like placing barricades in Tasmac shops ahead of Deepavali festival. “Tetra packs wasn’t a move to encourage drinkers and our intention is only to reduce sales. Breaking of bottles could be avoided with it,” he noted.