Thiruvananthapuram: The church and state government are headed for another showdown, with Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference (
KCBC) warning that the LDF will have to pay a price in the upcoming Chengannur assembly by-election if it went ahead with the decision to open more bars in panchayats with population above 10,000. Mar Remigiose Inchananiyil, bishop of Thamarassery, equated the government's liquor policy with cyclone Ockhi and declared that "the Prohibition Council will organise campaign against the government in Chengannur constituency".
KCBC president archbishop Susai Packiam said the government was using the Supreme Court verdict in this regard as an excuse to increase alcohol availability and turn itself into a laughing stock. Archbishop Mar Baselios Cleemis, head of Syro-Malankara church, said the government has gone back on its promise of reducing alcohol availability and should immediately withdraw its latest decision. On his part, the excise minister clarified that only closed liquor outlets would be reopened and not new ones and hinted that the church should, in any case, be focussing on setting its own house in order first.
