Congress attacks Tamil Nadu liquor policy

Playing the women and Dalit card, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday criticised the Tamil Nadu government's liquor policy.

Addressing a public rally here to mark the 113th birth anniversary of Congress leader K. Kamaraj, Gandhi said: "The leaders in Tamil Nadu are not listening to and meeting people. It is important for a ruler to listen to the voices of all sections."

Gandhi alleged that leaders of regional parties in the state listened to the liquor lobby instead.

According to him, Tamil Nadu earned a revenue of Rs.30,000 crore from liquor sales in the last fiscal.

He said Kamaraj's nine-year rule as chief minister was a golden period when around 13,000 schools were built and the students were provided with mid-day meals.

But later regional parties - he did not name any party -- which took power later allowed free flow of liquor, destroying families and communities.

It was raining in Tiruchirappalli, around 350 km from Chennai, when Gandhi started his speech. The rains abated when he started talking about liquor in the state.

"Even the rains stop when one talks about liquor," he remarked.

Gandhi said one in three educated youths in Tamil Nadu was unemployed and the government was not listening to them.

In an attempt to woo the Dalits, he said their voice was also not heard by non-Congress rulers in the state.

He said if the Congress comes to power in the state, it would set up fast track courts to provide justice to Dalits.