Ruling AIADMK dependent ‘solely’ on liquor sales for revenue: MDMK Vaiko

Chennai: MDMK today slammed the Tamil Nadu government’s stand against implementing prohibition saying the ruling AIADMK was dependent ‘solely’ on liquor sales through state-run outlets for revenue and condemned it for not showing concern for people’s welfare. Party founder Vaiko referred to the statement made by Electricity Minister Natham R Viswanathan, who also holds the Excise portfolio, that prohibition was not possible as liquor was available in neighbouring states. “It is strongly condemnable that the Jayalalithaa government, which is dependent solely on revenue from liquor shops, doesn’t have the slightest concern for people’s welfare,” he said in a statement. Vaiko, a strong supporter of the prohibition regime, also urged the state government to close down liquor shops on highways as directed by the High Court, saying drunken driving is the main cause for fatal accidents. Statistics released by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) had revealed that road accidents had gone up by 1.5 per cent in the state, he said.