Stung by a very strong response from the Catholic Church to its liquor policy, the Kerala government on March 18 made it clear that they are open to any sort of discussion on it to make their stand clear.

Talking to media persons here, state Excise Minister T.P.Ramakrishnan said that he is willing to speak to any person or organisations who have doubts about the new liquor policy.

“We are going forward on the liquor policy that we spelled out in our manifesto. We assure all that we will not open a single new bar, liquor vend or toddy shop. All what we did was to follow the Supreme Court’s directives, which we are bound to do.

“No one need to have any concern and our policy on liquor is to foll-ow the policy of abstinence and not head towards prohibition… that’s what we have said in our election manifesto,” he said.

On march 17, heads of various churches attached to the Kerala Catholic Bishops Conference (KCBC) slammed the Left Democratic Front government’s liquor policy, threatening it would work against its candidate in the upcoming Chengannur by-poll.

Various Church leaders accused the Vijayan government is operating on sly to open new liquor vends, bars and toddy shops, riding on court verdicts.

The state government’s offer for dialogue came, as along with the KCBC, both the Congress and the BJP began attacking the Left government ahead of the Chengannur assembly by-election, winning which is a prestige issue for the government.