The members of the Bharatiya Janata Party staged massive protests across Tamil Nadu on Saturday against the hooch tragedy and condemned the alleged increasing culture of illicit liquor addiction in the State.
Claiming the addiction to liquor is increasing by the day due to the expansion of state-owned Tasmac outlets, the party's state president K Annamalai, alleged that the ruling DMK lacked the inclination to act tough on the illicit liquor distillers or even attempt to reduce the alcohol consumption.
"The state has a high addiction rate due to the large number of Indian-made foreign liquor outlets being expanded by the government. Naturally, the drinkers fall prey to cheap illicit liquor," he said while addressing the agitation held by the BJP Mahila Morcha. The issue called for stringent action against the illicit liquor brewers and regulating liquor sales, he said.
The hooch tragedy claimed 21 lives in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts earlier this week, according to police.
The Villupuram police arrested Puducherry-based Elumalai and Barakathullah for allegedly supplying methanol to local sellers in Tamil Nadu while another man, identified as Ilaya Nambi, who owns a chemical company in Chennai, was picked up from the city.
"There ought to be some regulation and responsible drinking should be allowed," the BJP president later told reporters.
The government earned a revenue of Rs 44,000 crore through the sales from Tasmac outlets last year and the sales target was increased annually to mop up more revenue, Annamalai claimed.
"Our party would submit a white paper to the State government, containing a roadmap to reduce the liquor outlets, wean away addiction and explore other avenues of increasing revenue for the government. This document will be submitted to the Chief Minister in 10 days," he said.
The government can see the logic and value in the "white paper" and adapt it to resolve the issue afflicting the people, especially women, he added.