Karuna says his govt in 1971 had only ‘postponed’ dry regime

Facing criticism from <g data-gr-id="14">archrival</g> AIADMK and PMK on prohibition, DMK President M Karunanidhi on Wednesday said his government in 1971 had only ‘postponed’ the dry regime due to financial crunch but restored it in three years.

Karunanidhi’s recent proposal to take steps to implement prohibition if voted to power in the coming elections has been met with contempt from AIADMK and PMK, who insisted that the DMK government in 1971 had first removed prevailing dry regime despite veteran Swatantra Party leader C Rajagopalachary making a fervent plea against it. In a detailed letter to partymen, Karunanidhi recalled the circumstances leading to him declaring ‘postponing’ of prohibition in Tamil Nadu, as financial strains were affecting the state even as the then Central government had ruled out compensating the state for dry law under technical grounds.