Chennai pubs may go dry in peak summer as liquor ban looms large in TN

Chennai: Come June, there may not be a drop to drink in Chennai's pubs. If that happens, from Chepauk to Kilpauk, Chennaites can have only Coke with Mysore Pak!

Both Amma and Kalaignar have promised a total ban on alcohol in Tamil Nadu if they are voted to power. A reluctant Jayalalithaa has declared a phased ban forcing Karunanidhi to promise the same. After the Sri Lankan Tamil issue became a barren cow for the power hungry politicians, they suddenly realised that the prohibition cow can be milked to stay in power. The PMK of Dr. Anbumani Ramdoss hijacked the issue a year before elections. After a lot of dillydallying, a month before voting day, the two main political parties, the ruling AIADMK and the principal opposition DMK have also joined the prohibition bandwagon.

Jaya’s main voters are women and she can’t afford to anger them by not supporting the liquor ban. The DMK which is accused of having close links to the liquor mafia has been forced to back the demand for a ban to stay relevant in the competitive populist politics of Tamil Nadu.

But, it may not be easy to say goodbye to liquor. Because economic realities of the state are stacked against the promised ban. With total revenue from liquor amounting to over 20 per cent of the State's own tax revenue, the government will not be in a position to implement complete prohibition. Tamil Nadu is full of populist schemes, and all governments need booze money to fund them.

According to a blogger Robert Barker, Tamil Nadu has had a long tradition of dabbling with prohibition since its erstwhile Madras state days. C Rajagopalachari, then chief minister of Madras state, introduced prohibition in his very first tenure. This lasted until the early 60s under Congress governments led by K Kamaraj.

The abolition of prohibition essentially began after the ascent of M Karunanidhi to the Chief Minister's chair. Claiming that illicit liquor was harming the state and bootlegging had become a major problem, the then CM abolished prohibition. The DMK, however, reversed their decision a few years later, reinstating prohibition which was once again repealed when AIADMK's charismatic leader MGR became the CM for the first time.

Since then, Tamil Nadu hasn't seen a return to total prohibition, albeit the degree of state control has varied over the years, and currently one could argue that it is among the most tippler-friendly, prohibition-free states in India.

During the ban in 1960s, affluent tipplers used to visit neighbouring Bengaluru to quench their thirst. They were also the biggest patrons of horse racing in Bengaluru and Mysore during those days.

If the next government in Tamil Nadu puts the lid on the bottle, the glitzy nightlife in Chennai will die overnight. The heartbroken pub goers may relocate to other places or visit Bengaluru for their weekly dose.