Palakkad, Kerala: Traditionally bitter rivals in the bitter state political rivalry, the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have come together in an unexpected show of unity to protest against the setting up of a private liquor manufacturing unit in Kerala. The protest came on January 19 in Palakkad district, where worries are increasing about the impact of the project.
According to local politicians and residents, the proposed unit by Oasis Commercial Private Limited has come in for a lot of criticism. Meanwhile, Congress MP V.K. Sreekandan opposed the project, saying that Chuttipara of Elappully Panchayat does not need a distillery. Accusing the state’s Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh of defending the company in the belief of having taken huge bribes and everything, he again pointed out that while the government is planning to supply water to the unit, people in the area are struggling to obtain clean drinking water.
The Congress MLA V.D. Satheesan also went on to criticise the minister and called him a ‘propaganda manager’ of Oasis. But he raised serious questions about the background of the company, saying it was owned by people who had been involved in controversies surrounding liquor policy in Delhi and had been charged in Punjab with interfering with and polluting groundwater. “Why had a company of that description been allowed to exist?” he demanded.
Satheesan also questioned the transparency of the approval process, saying no distillery operating in Kerala would have been aware of changes in liquor policy that enabled them to increase production. Apart from Oasis, he said no other company in India had been informed of these policy changes.
Minister Rajesh said the company had followed the existing rules and regulations and got initial clearance within the system. He said all of their concerns would be addressed and that there will be no exploitation of their water resources. Elappully Panchayat has convened an emergency meeting on January 21 when it will pass a resolution against the proposed distillery.
Congress and BJP leaders, and other public figures, are also continuing to call for closer scrutiny of the project, which has met with strong public resistance because many people see the LDF government’s decision as politically motivated.