Drinking can be cut down, but body will not accept prohibition: Kamal Hassan

Makkal Neethi Mayyam founder President Kamal Haasan has argued against prohibition, saying a dry regime would lead to the creation of a 'mafia'.

Promise of implementing prohibition was being made to garner women's votes, Haasan said about an issue discussed by all political parties in Tamil Nadu during the 2016 Assembly polls. Liquor sales is nationalised in Tamil Nadu, with various brands of alcohol being sold through outlets run by state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). While opposition parties including DMK promised implementing prohibition in their election manifesto, ruling AIADMK, which won the polls to sail into a successive term, assured a phased implementation of the dry regime.

Subsequently, the AIADMK government has so far closed down 1000 retail liquor outlets run by TASMAC. Writing in his weekly Tamil column in the vernacular magazine 'Ananda Vikatan,' Haasan said it was easy in Tamil Nadu to spot a TASMAC outlet than a post office. "If you implement prohibition, a mafia will emerge," he said without elaborating. He was apparently hinting at the emergence of hooch if a dry regime was implemented. Prohibition was not like gambling which can be stopped instantly as the "body will not accept it," he said, referring to consumption of alcohol. "Drinking can be cut down, but it is doubtful if it can be completely stopped," he added. However, there was no need for so many liquor outlets in the state, he said.