<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The decision of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Kerala">Kerala</a>'s left-front government to extend the working hours of bars by two hours has triggered strong protest as well as allegations of pre-poll deal with liquor lobbies.</p><p>The decision also goes against the left-front government's stated policy of promoting liquor abstinence.</p><p>It is citing tourism sector's interests that the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=pinayari%20vijayan">Pinarayi Vijayan</a> government further diluted the policy by allowing bars to function from 10 am to 12 midnight. </p><p>So far the working hours of bars were from 11 am to 11 pm. Bars in five-star hotels are allowed to function till 3 am, which was extended from 12 midnight.</p>.Kerala liquor policy row: Youth Congress workers take out protest march to Excise Minister's office.<p>Apart from the open protests raised by the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front and Kerala Catholic Bishop's Council (KCBC), the decision was also learnt to have triggered resentment within the ruling front as the matter involving the government's liquor policy was not discussed in the left-front or the cabinet.</p><p>KCBC's Temperance commission demanded the government to revoke the decision. "The society can't be blamed for suspecting that the extension of working hours of bars just ahead of the polls was part of a deal. Tourists come down to Kerala to enjoy nature and not for drinking. If there is a drop in tourists it is due to reasons like drug abuse, stray dogs and wild animal attacks," the commission said in a statement.</p><p>It also cautioned that Kerala already became a hub of narcotic substance abuse and the situation would worsen by allowing bars to work for more hours.</p><p>Opposition leader V D Satheesan said that it was mysterious that the government made such a decision without any discussions that too just ahead of the elections.</p><p>Meanwhile, excise minister M B Rajesh said that the decision was taken in view of the interest of the tourism sector. Already bars in the tourism sector were allowed to function till 12 midnight. Now this has been extended to other bars too, he said.</p><p>Earlier the left-front government's decision to allow bars to function until 12 midnight on December 31 in view of the new year celebrations had invited criticisms that the government was deviating from its abstinence policy. The number of bars in the state also increased drastically over the last few years.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: The decision of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Kerala">Kerala</a>'s left-front government to extend the working hours of bars by two hours has triggered strong protest as well as allegations of pre-poll deal with liquor lobbies.</p><p>The decision also goes against the left-front government's stated policy of promoting liquor abstinence.</p><p>It is citing tourism sector's interests that the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=pinayari%20vijayan">Pinarayi Vijayan</a> government further diluted the policy by allowing bars to function from 10 am to 12 midnight. </p><p>So far the working hours of bars were from 11 am to 11 pm. Bars in five-star hotels are allowed to function till 3 am, which was extended from 12 midnight.</p>.Kerala liquor policy row: Youth Congress workers take out protest march to Excise Minister's office.<p>Apart from the open protests raised by the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front and Kerala Catholic Bishop's Council (KCBC), the decision was also learnt to have triggered resentment within the ruling front as the matter involving the government's liquor policy was not discussed in the left-front or the cabinet.</p><p>KCBC's Temperance commission demanded the government to revoke the decision. "The society can't be blamed for suspecting that the extension of working hours of bars just ahead of the polls was part of a deal. Tourists come down to Kerala to enjoy nature and not for drinking. If there is a drop in tourists it is due to reasons like drug abuse, stray dogs and wild animal attacks," the commission said in a statement.</p><p>It also cautioned that Kerala already became a hub of narcotic substance abuse and the situation would worsen by allowing bars to work for more hours.</p><p>Opposition leader V D Satheesan said that it was mysterious that the government made such a decision without any discussions that too just ahead of the elections.</p><p>Meanwhile, excise minister M B Rajesh said that the decision was taken in view of the interest of the tourism sector. Already bars in the tourism sector were allowed to function till 12 midnight. Now this has been extended to other bars too, he said.</p><p>Earlier the left-front government's decision to allow bars to function until 12 midnight on December 31 in view of the new year celebrations had invited criticisms that the government was deviating from its abstinence policy. The number of bars in the state also increased drastically over the last few years.</p>
