Anbumani slams govt for failure to act against illicit liquor outlets

Dharmapuri: A day after a group of women ransacked four illicit liquor outlets in Podur village near Pennagaram in Podur village near Pennagaram, PMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday condemned the widespread illegal sale of liquor in the state. The illicit liquor outlets were being operated in the village for the past five years.Anbumani, however, said taking the law into one's own hands was not acceptable. "DMK govt has to be blamed for creating the conditions that led villagers to act in desperation," he said noting that while the public had made several representations to shut down illicit liquor outlets in Podur and elsewhere in Dharmapuri district, no action had been taken. He said illegal roadside liquor stalls were functioning round the clock across the district and accused the state govt of failing to act despite repeated protests by PMK. He said Dharmapuri MLA S P Venkateswaran too had raised the issue in the assembly. Anbumani accused DMK of political hypocrisy, stating the party had encouraged protests in favour of opening govt-run liquor outlets in seven villages. "More than 20,000 illegal liquor stalls are functioning across the state. These outlets harm poor and middle-class families and cause major revenue losses through unpaid excise duty and VAT," he said. Calling the Podur episode "the clearest proof" of unchecked illegal liquor trade in Tamil Nadu, Anbumani said the incident should be viewed as a public uprising against illicit liquor rather than as a criminal act. He urged the govt and police to avoid action against the women involved and instead shut down the illegal liquor outlets across the state.