Thiruvananthapuram/Thrissur, February 18 – Kerala Excise Minister M B Rajesh defended the government's decision to extend bar timings across the state, stating that it was already in place in tourist destinations and aimed at addressing discrimination complaints.
Rajesh stated that the state charges a license fee of ₹35 lakh from bars regardless of their location, whether in tourist areas or elsewhere.
However, only bars in tourist destinations were allowed to operate from 10 am to midnight, leading to complaints of discrimination and calls for uniform timings, Rajesh told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
He also noted that neighboring states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh had longer bar timings but lower license fees.
"Therefore, to ensure uniformity, we made the decision," he said.
Rajesh further claimed that the opposition was aware of the decision in advance and supported it.
He also refuted claims by Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, V D Satheesan, that the decision was made quickly.
Regarding the opposition from various Christian churches, Rajesh said, "We will see how it unfolds and who will make what claims."
When reporters asked if the Catholic Church had termed the decision a "deal before the elections," Rajesh responded, "That is not possible."
"They cannot say that about us," he asserted.
Earlier in the day, the LDF government's decision to change bar timings was opposed by the Malankara Orthodox Church, which claimed it would harm an entire generation, particularly the youth of Kerala.
Advocate Biju Oommen, secretary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, criticised the government's decision, stating that it would harm a generation, especially the youth of the state.
"Do the government want the youth to spend their time in bars? People in the state are worried about the consequences of allowing bars to be open for extended hours," he said.
Oommen further argued that the government was "ignoring the concerns of parents" and questioned, "Is there no other way to generate revenue?".
Supporting the decision, LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan said that the timings were already in place in tourist destinations, making this decision consistent with existing policies.
Ramakrishnan told reporters that this was not a new policy, but a decision made earlier by the government.
He also stated that he did not believe there was anything wrong with the change in timings.
Ramakrishnan noted that Kerala is a state with increasing tourism, making such facilities necessary.
He added that if any issues arise, discussions will be held at the government level, and further clarifications will be issued if needed.
Ramakrishnan contended that the decision to change timings was not based on demands from private bar associations.
The Congress-led UDF opposition, on the other hand, said that the decision was made suspiciously close to the upcoming assembly elections.
Satheesan said that the decision should have been thoroughly discussed in the cabinet before implementation.
"The cabinet needs to seriously examine the decision to bring uniformity in bar timings across the state," he told reporters in Thrissur.
Clarity is needed on whether the decision is intended to boost nightlife in tourist destinations or if it is being implemented uniformly across the state.
Satheesan also stated that more than 1,000 bars have been allowed in the state in the last 10 years.
"The availability of such a large amount of liquor across the state will adversely affect Kerala. We have been saying this for a long time. The Left had said they would reduce alcohol consumption, but after they came to power, they increased the number of bars in the state to over 1,000," he contended, adding that there was a lack of sincerity in the statements made by the Left front.
Meanwhile, the National Resource Centre for non-communicable diseases – an initiative of the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC)-India – condemned the government decision taken "under the pretext of promoting tourism," calling it a "regressive and irresponsible policy".
In a statement, it contended that the government's decision was "a threat to society, public health, and the future of the youth".
"It is deeply concerning that the present Kerala government, since its inception, has repeatedly taken steps that appear to promote alcohol availability in the state in various ways that favour the liquor industry, rather than prioritising public health and social welfare. We urge the Kerala government to revoke this decision immediately," said Johnson J Edayaranmula, its executive director, in the statement.