Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran has expressed anguish over the recent Supreme Court directive that left it to the State governments to decide on areas covered by local self-governing bodies on the prohibition on sale of liquor within 500 metres along highways.
The directive went against the apex court’s earlier order, he said while launching a campaign against drug abuse organised by the Lahari Nirmarjana Samiti here on Wednesday.
Previously the Supreme Court had pointed out that the sale and consumption of alcohol was not a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution. However, now the apex court changed its stance, Mr. Sudheeran said and wondered what made the court to come to a new conclusion.
Mr. Sudheeran said that the order had emboldened the liquor lobby. He also said that democracy and the Constitution failed when constitutional bodies discard welfare and offered protection to the liquor lobby. He alleged the liquor policy of the Left Democratic Front government would result in the destruction of the State.
