The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday (June 26, 2026) accused the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala of promoting alcohol consumption by proposing to slash taxes on low-alcohol beverages.
At a media briefing, BJP MP and spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi described the decision to reduce excise tax on low-alcohol liquor by nearly half as “disastrous”. “By reducing government revenue and providing benefits to liquor businessmen, when consumption is bound to increase, do you want to push the entire younger generation towards alcohol?”, he asked.
Mr. Trivedi questioned the government’s decision, saying it was inexplicable, particularly when Kerala’s Home Minister, Ramesh Chennithala, had acknowledged that the menace of drugs was becoming increasingly serious in the State.
“At this juncture, what is the logic behind reducing excise duty, reducing government revenue, providing greater benefits to your friends in the liquor business, and also creating a danger for the future of the younger generation?,” asked Mr. Trivedi.
“It was the Left government that created this new category of low-alcohol liquor, and now the Congress is trying to use it to flood the entire State with alcohol. So, both the Left and the Congress have done a great disservice to the State... they are two sides of the same coin,” he added.
Published - June 26, 2026 10:24 pm IST
Kerala / Indian National Congress / Kerala / Bharatiya Janata Party
Source: The Hindu - India News
