Actor turned politician Kamal Hassan on Thursday wrote a letter after the state of Tamil Nadu gave permission for the sale of alcohol amid Lockdown 3.0 enforced due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Hassan accused Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his Government of "intentional genocide".
In the letter, Kamal Hassan wrote, "The Tamil Nadu Government firmly believes that the people of Thamizh Nadu (Tamil Nadu) have already overcome Covid-19 with their survival instincts. Why else would they continuously embark on hairbrained plans bordering on genocide?"
"The Tamil Nadu Government's decision to open up liquor shops, was like sending wounded, hungry and misdirected soldiers to battle a fully prepared army of armed and lethal plants," he added.
Hassan said that the leaders of this government proclaim themselves to be the Mother's government. However, he said, "You are grabbing your share, continuing your hunt, while children of Tamil Nadu are threatened with starvation." "You are at best a rabid Alpha male pride of predators, who have forgotten their Amma," the Makkal Needhi Maiam party founder said.
Earlier in the day, Madras High Court on Thursday imposed new regulations on the sale of alcohol in the state of Tamil Nadu.
According to the new regulations, one person can purchase alcohol only twice in a week, with a gap of three days between the purchases and not more than two bottles of 750ml of alcohol of any type will be allowed to be sold, said a Bench led by Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice Pushpa Sathyanaranana.
The Court was hearing a plea to enforce a complete ban of the sales of alochol in Tamil Nadu. However, the Court rejected the plea and imposed new regulations.
Meanwhile, the total COVID-19 positive patients in Tamil Nadu are 5,409. The death count in the state stands at 37.
