KOCHI: Warring communist and Catholic Church leaders in Kerala have found common ground with the party’s vow to combat alcoholism.
“This will bring peace in Kerala families since the communist groups have a firm grip and control among their members,” Father Paul Thelakat, spokesperson of the Syro-Malabar Church, said, welcoming the Marxist party’s anti-liquor initiative.
The Church has been at loggerheads with the Communist party of India (Marxist) on many issues since the party first headed the ruling Left Democratic Front in 2006. But the alcohol campaign echoes decades of similar initiatives of the Church in Kerala, the state which tops liquor consumption in India.
Father Thelakat says the Church has no problem in supporting the Marxist initiative since it views alcoholism in Kerala as a “social menace,” not a political issue.
“If they (Marxists) make a serious attempt to promote an anti-liquor campaign, it can make a qualitative difference in Kerala,” he added.
Marxist leader A. Vijayaraghavan says his party’s youth, student and women wings will jointly launch the anti- liquor campaign on Nov. 30.
Kerala’s per capita liquor consumption is 9 liters, the highest in India. “This is a dangerous trend that is ruining families. Hence, our decision to lead a social awareness campaign,” Vijayaraghavan told ucanews.com on Nov. 11.
The party, he added, will monitor the lifestyles of the top echelon of the party and refuse admission to people with alcoholic tendencies.
Father Thelakat wants the party to influence the government to ban liquor despite the 60 billion rupees (US$1.36 billion) annual revenue it brings to the state.
Vijayaraghavan says his party is not concerned about the revenue because the state spends heavily on diseases from alcoholic abuses.
The Marxist leader said alcoholism is on the rise even among women and children. “It is going to kill the future of the state,” he warned.
Tags: liquor policy, alcoholism, alcoholic abuses, Anti-liquor drive, Anti-liquor campaign, Kerala church.UCAN