Island, prohibition enough to strike DMK: Chief Minister

Reiterating that her government was determined to enforce total prohibition in a phased manner, Jayalalithaa said it was the DMK regime headed by Karunanidhi that had lifted the ban on prohibition in 1971 and had even argued later in 2007 why it was impossible to enforce prohibition in the state. She quoted Karunanidhi of having said, “If we wanted to compete with other countries, we have to produce several varieties of liquor to handle competition and prevent hooch tragedies.” 

The Chief Minister said that her government is committed to prohibition and hence the business hours of Tasmac was reduced by two hours and 500 Tasmac shops were closed after the Party returned to power. She also told her cabinet colleague Thangamani he could have elaborated for youngsters to understand that it was the DMK that had introduced liquor in Tamil Nadu. 

Unfazed by DMK members continuous protest against her comment and the Speaker declining their requests to raise a point of order, Jayalalithaa intervened again and reasoned that advising a minister was her entitlement. 

Jayalalithaa said, “The Speaker had earlier struggled to evict the ruckus-creating DMK members, “but two words – retrieval of Katchatheevu and enforcement of prohibition- are sufficient to make them walk out on their own.” The DMK members returned after a while to take part in the debate of Public Works Department.