Catholic Bishops in Kerala have launched state-wide anti-liquor march which is planned for 18 days to create awareness against the use of alcohols and drugs in the state. The march is expected to cover various schools and other public spaces before concluding in the northern district of Kasaragod in Kerala on December 2, 2017. His Excellency Archbishop Soosa Pakiam of Thiruvananthapuram launched the program on behalf of Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) on November 15, 2017, from St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
As reported by ucanindia.in, His Grace Archbishop Soosa Pakiam remarked that “The anti-drug campaign launched by the Kerala Police with the involvement of cricketer Virat Kohli and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was a political drama for public attention and to fool people.” Further, His Excellency added, “Even as the campaign was going on the government was opening more liquor retail outlets and granting the license for more bars, while they organize such programs spending a few lakhs of rupees, they are making crores of rupees as profit by selling liquor.”
The Church officials have been complaining that the present government abandoned the previous Congress government’s policy to make Kerala alcohol free within a decade by shutting down alcohol outlets in a phased manner.
