The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) Temperance Commission has strongly objected the Kerala government’s new liquor policy, accusing it of liberalising alcohol access under the guise of curbing substance abuse.
In an emergency core committee meeting held on Thursday, the commission observed that “the State’s liquor policy is akin to pouring oil on fire.”
It sharply criticised the government and the liquor lobby for portraying narcotic drugs as the sole culprit while deliberately minimising the impact of alcohol. The attempt to downplay alcohol’s role in the wider context of substance abuse, it said, appears to be driven by a singular focus on boosting tax revenue.
‘Relaxation a test dose’
According to the commission, the relaxation granted to bar hotels above the three-star category as merely a “test dose” for the eventual rollback of dry days. It pointed out that many who previously ignored the growing grip of the narcotics mafia and the mental health crisis fuelled by synthetic drugs have been forced to take action only after sustained pressure from the media and anti-addiction groups.
The statement also held various enforcement agencies, including the Excise, Police, Forest, Revenue, and Intelligence departments, accountable for their failure to curb the expansion of the drug mafia.
At the same time, it questioned why the KCBC Anti-Drug Committee, with over 25 years of experience in awareness, rehabilitation, and intervention work, has been excluded from key discussions on the issue. “Even the youth wings of political parties are being brought to the table,” the commission noted.
Bishop Youhanon Mar Theodosius, chairman of the KCBC Temperance Commission, along with its state secretaries Fr. John Areekal and Prasad Kuruvilla were among those present at the meeting.
Published – April 10, 2025 12:38 pm IST
