Jaya's assurance on prohibition aimed at deceiving people: DMK

Chennai, April 10: DMK on Saturday, April 9 termed the assurance by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa that prohibition would be implemented in a phased manner in the state if voted to power in the May 16 polls as an attempt at "deceiving" the people.

"The assurance was aimed at deceiving" the people, DMK treasurer M K Stalin told reporters. Stalin said he does not want to "waste" his time by discussing about her speech in the AIADMK rally.

Launching AIADMK's election rally here today, Jayalalithaa said prohibition was relaxed in 1971 August by the then Karunanidhi government.

Assuring implementation of prohibition in Tamil Nadu, where liquor sales fetches about Rs 30,000 crore revenue, she said "when AIADMK assumes power again, total prohibition will be implemented in a phased manner."

Jayalalithaa's assurance assumes significance as it comes against the backdrop of a sustained campaign by NGOs and persistent demand by opposition parties, including DMK and PMK, for a dry regime.

PTI