Kerala's Left-Front govt holds plan to allow pubs back in state

Even as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier taken a positive stand towards the demand from various sections to allow pubs in Kerala, the Left-Front government has again decided to keep the plans on hold.

As the state's liquor policy for 2020-21 was announced by the CPM-led government on Tuesday, the much-awaited proposals of allowing pubs and doing away with dry days on first day of every month were missing.

Though the Left-Front did not give any reason for keeping the proposals in abeyance, it was widely speculated that the front might be wary of the general public's reaction to any pro-liquor decision, especially since the local body elections were due this year and the Assembly election due in next year.

During a weekly television programme in November last year, the chief minister himself said that the IT sector complained of a lack of social infrastructure and therefore, the government was considering allowing pubs in Kerala.

The tourism industry too complained about the dry day on the first of every month in the state, which badly affected the tourism sector and pressured it to lift the law.