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Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony, who imposed a ban on country liquor in the state prior to the 1996 assembly election, has admitted that his action was a blunder.
He, however, has not indicated a review of the ban.
Antony, who returned to power after the May 2001 state assembly election, admitted that the ban had not produced the desired results.
Inaugurating a national workshop on Alcohol Policy Advocacy organized by the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board on Monday, he said, "The ban has been ineffective in checking alcohol consumption. On the contrary, it has led to the flourishing of illicit liquor and has seen a spurt in liquor tragedies."
He accused some politicians and officials of being hand-in-glove with the liquor lobbies. "Senior leaders in several parties are under the strong influence of liquor barons. They act as their public relations officers. They need these barons for a luxurious lifestyle," he said.
He also questioned the sincerity of several organisations fighting for prohibition. "Some of the anti-alcohol organisations are not free from the influence of the liquor lobbies," he said. "Many of their leaders are regular consumers."
The chief minister said he was convinced that only an awareness campaign about the bad effects of alcohol will make people abstain. Prohibitionists, especially the church and women's organisations, were thrilled when Antony announced the ban on liquor, but the move failed to bring the Congress-led United Democratic Front back to power in the election that followed.
The Communist Party of India Marxist-led Left Democratic Front, which came to power subsequently, did not review the ban though they didn't believe in it. Meanwhile, the illicit liquor network spread across the state, culminating in several hooch tragedies.
Expectations ran high when Antony returned to power last year, but the chief minister soon invited criticism for allowing more foreign liquor outlets in the economic interests of the state. The prohibition lobby said indiscriminate sanctioning of liquor outlets to woo tourists has been promoting the pub and beer culture in the state with even teenagers hitting the bottle.
"Alcoholism was a problem only among people aged 19 years or above till the late eighties, but now even 13-year-olds are coming under its influence," said Johnson Edayaranmula, executive member and director of KSYWB.
The board has decided to train 100 volunteers in each of the state's 14 districts to create awareness about alcohol abuse.
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