TN Minister, Dhinkaran spar over closure of liquor outlets

Tamil Nadu assembly today witnessed a sharp exchange of words between Minister P Thangamani and AMMK leader T T V Dhinkaran over the issue of phased implementation of prohibition, leading to a walkout by the latter.

Dhinakaran referred to late chief minister Jayalalithaa's order closing down 500 liquor outlets in line with her promise made in the run up to 2016 assembly polls to enforce prohibition in a phased manner.

He then sought to know if it was fair for the present AIADMK government to open 810 liquor outlets run by the state-owned TASMAC by moving the Supreme Court after the Madras High Court had ordered their closure.

The independent MLA from R K Nagar constituency also pointed out that when Chief Minister K Palaniswami took over last year, he too had directed closure of 500 more outlets in line with the policy of Jayalalithaa.

Thangamani, who holds the portfolios of excise and prohibition in addition to Electricity, said the 810 shops were functional and reopened, indicating the government had not allowed any new outlets.

Seeking to hit back at Dhinakaran, nephew of V K Sasikala, aide of Jayalalithaa, the Minister made a veiled reference to his extended family's stake in liquor manufacturing business in the state and said he can question the government if they had shut down the breweries.

"Who owned about 25 per cent of the alcoholic beverage manufacturing firms in the state between 2002-2018?" Thangamani asked without naming anyone.

He was apparently making a reference to the Midas Distilleries, an alcoholic beverages manufacturing company reportedly owned by relatives of Sasikala.

Dhinakaran was immediately on his feet, urging Speaker P Dhanapal to allow him to respond to the Minister.

However, Dhanapal said the Minister did not name anyone in his speech and went on to the next subject on the agenda.

Dhinakaran, who was booed by the ruling benches, later walked out after an argument with Dhanapal.

Thangamani had yesterday asserted in the House that there was no change in the policy of bringing in phased prohibition in keeping with the announcement of late Jayalalithaa.