Sudheeran writes to the CM asking him not to reduce the tax on low-alcohol liquor

Senior Congress leader and former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president VM Sudheeran has shot off a letter to Chief Minister VD Satheesan, asking him to reverse the decision to reduce taxes on low-alcohol liquor.

In a strongly worded letter, Mr. Sudheeran said the budget announcement, which he said aims to promote alcohol, goes against the grain of the UDF’s election manifesto, which promised to save Kerala from the menace of alcohol, drugs and other addictive substances. This is a violation of the promise given to the people and therefore it should be cancelled, said Mr. Sudheeran.

He also urged Mr. Satheesan to formulate a people’s liquor policy aimed at saving people from the problems caused by the allegedly ill-conceived policies implemented by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government.

Protest on the coast

Mr. Sudheeran also took strong exception to the budget statement, which seeks to prepare the mining sector for private investment. This has already created anxiety among the people on the coast of Alappuzha. Mr Sudheeran reminded the Chief Minister that the UDF government had withdrawn the permission of a private firm to mine minerals in Alappuzha following massive public protests in 2003.

“Coastal people protested when the Pinarayi-led government allowed black sand mining in Thottappally under the auspices of public sector undertakings. This has now been stopped after court intervention leading to the formation of an expert commission to look into the matter. However, people protested against the constitution of the commission. In the public interest, I wrote to you on June 1 and requested Mr. Sudefran for suitable experts for restoration.” disagree with a proposal to allow black sand mining along the state’s coast.

Published – 22 Jun 2026 21:05 IST