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Liquor policy row: UDF to take out march to Kerala Assembly on 12 June

UDF convenor MM Hassan said the opposition front also wanted the Excise and Tourism ministers, facing allegations in the alleged scam, to resign.

ByPTI

Published Jun 02, 2024 | 1:32 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 02, 2024 | 1:32 PM

UDF convenor MM Hassan (X)

The Opposition UDF will take out a march to the Kerala Assembly in Thiruvananthapuram on 12 June demanding a judicial probe into the alleged move by the Left government to amend the state liquor policy.

UDF convenor MM Hassan said the Opposition front also wanted the Excise and Tourism ministers, facing allegations in the alleged scam, to resign.

“The UDF will intensify its agitation inside and outside the Assembly. If the government is not ready for a judicial probe, the Opposition will take the protest to the grassroots level,” he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

The UDF announced the Assembly march amidst the government facing intense criticism from various quarters over its alleged move to amend the liquor policy to scrap the ‘dry day’ norm.

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‘Move to ‘favour’ bar owners’

The criticism came after reports that the state government was considering scrapping the ‘dry day’ norm (which prohibits the sale of alcohol in the state on the first day of every calendar month), sparking a political storm in the state.

While the Congress-led UDF has accused the LDF government of taking bribes to ‘favour’ bar owners, the Left claimed that it has not yet held any deliberations over its liquor policy.

Hassan alleged that the bar owners had collected money to pay the bribe with the knowledge of the Excise and Tourism ministers.

“How many crores were collected? How much did the CP (M) get? That should be investigated,” he said.

The UDF convenor also alleged that the government was planning to avoid the ‘dry day’ not only to increase the state’s income but also to enhance the wealth of the Marxist party.

The real facts with regard to the alleged scam would not come out through the ongoing crime branch probe, he said and wanted the government to order a judicial probe.

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