The Deputy Moderator of the Church of South India, the Rt. Rev. Thomas K. Oommen, has led a march through the home town of the chief minister of Kerala, urging the government to hold fast to its pledge to ban the sale of alcohol in the state. On 7 December 2014 Bishop Oommen led a march through Puthupally, home and political base of chief minister Oommen Chandy. Bishop Oommen told reporters: “We want the Government to further strengthen its liquor policy to lead the state to total prohibition.” In September the government began the second phase of its prohibition program, banning all alcohol sales on Sunday and cutting off alcohol sales (a state monopoly) to all but 62 hotels in the state. Kerala’s ruling United Democratic Front government has been wavering in its resolve to enforce the liquor ban in the face of public opposition. “We are praying that those in power should not make any dilution in the recently announced liquor policy. Liquor is an evil and there should be no relaxation made in respect to the announced decisions,” the bishop said.
