Youth Congress Protests Police Over Controversial Brewery License in Kerala
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Synopsis
Tensions erupted outside the Kerala Legislative Assembly as Youth Congress members protested against the state government's decision to issue a brewery license to a controversial firm linked to the Delhi excise case, resulting in clashes with police.
Key Takeaways
- Tensions escalated outside Kerala Legislative Assembly.
- Youth Congress protests against brewery license to Oasis Commercial Pvt Ltd.
- Protest led by Rahul Mamkoothathil, demanding license revocation.
- Debate inside Assembly regarding the government's liquor policy.
- Opposition UDF accuses government of corruption and environmental negligence.
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 21 (NationPress) Tensions escalated outside the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Tuesday as Youth Congress activists, opposing the state government’s decision to issue a brewery license to a contentious firm linked to the Delhi excise case, clashed with law enforcement.
The firm in question, Oasis Commercial Pvt Ltd, which had a key executive previously imprisoned in the Delhi Excise policy case, was authorized to set up multiple facilities in the water-scarce district of Palakkad. This includes an ethanol plant, a multi-feed distillation unit, an Indian-made foreign liquor bottling unit, a brewery, a malt spirit facility, and a brandy/winery plant on a 26-acre plot acquired two years ago.
Leading the demonstrations was Rahul Mamkoothathil, the newly elected legislator from the Palakkad constituency and the state Youth Congress president. “We will persist with our protests until the license is annulled. The decision by the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet merely benefits a controversial firm allegedly involved in financing the CPI-M campaign during the Palakkad by-election,” Mamkoothathil remarked.
He also unveiled plans for a long march and additional protests at the proposed brewery location.
This controversy has stirred debate within the Assembly, with senior Congress leader and former state Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakarishnan reminding CM Vijayan of a previous decision he made while in office. “This decision contradicts the Left government's earlier stance of not issuing new brewery licenses,” he stated, adding, “At the very least, you should uphold the principles of your election manifesto, which advocated for abstinence from liquor, yet you are permitting new firms to produce liquor.”
The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), spearheaded by the Congress, has been vocal against the license issuance, alleging corruption and disregard for environmental issues.
In contrast, State CPI-M Secretary M.V. Govindan defended the decision, asserting, “The firm will manufacture ethanol, not liquor. The Congress narrative has shifted from corruption allegations to groundwater depletion worries. It seems these protests might have covert support from other private spirit producers.”
The brewing controversy remains a focal point of political discussions in Kerala, with protests and counterarguments amplifying the debate surrounding the government’s liquor policy and its environmental implications.
