Makkal Needhi Maiam does not believe in total prohibition and freebies, says Kamal Haasan

Chennai: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan said his party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), does not believe in the implementation of total prohibition and the concept of freebies. “The question is whether liquor shops should be spread out like this. We have to go in search of a post office, but there is no need to search for a TASMAC (Tamil Nadu government liquor outlet). We have to change this situation,” Haasan said. [caption id=“attachment_4360663” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Kamal Haasan. PTI[/caption] Haasan’s statement comes at a time when major opposition political parties in Tamil Nadu are demanding implementation of a total ban on sale of liquor in the state. In his final column in the Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan, Haasan, on Thursday, said that it was not possible to make an entire society dislike liquor. He added that total prohibition would result in the creation of a mafia as seen in the history of the world. Haasan said that consumption of liquor is not like gambling that can be stopped suddenly. He said that putting a sudden end to the consumption of liquor would not agree with the human body. Haasan added that liquor consumption could be reduced, but whether it could be stopped completely is doubtful. The actor-turned-politician said that the act of introducing prohibition and then lifting it was a ‘game’ that he did not understand. According to Haasan, political parties play the liquor prohibition card in order to attract female votes. Haasan said the opening of liquor shops near schools is a game that worries him. On the issue of freebies given by the government, Haasan said that instead of providing freebies, a permanent solution must be chalked out for the livelihood of the people. On his party’s policy on education, Haasan said that the focus will be on providing quality education to many rather than just educating more number of people. He added that the party has several plans to upgrade the quality of education in government schools. Haasan also said that his party was opposed to the common entrance exam for admission to medical colleges and the placement of education in the concurrent list in the Indian Constitution. The actor-turned-politician said that policies are different and implementing plans to achieve the policy are different. He added that a change of plan does not mean change in the party’s policy. Haasan said that the welfare of people and Tamil Nadu’s prosperity are the broad policies of his party and there will be several plans to achieve the same. According to Haasan, there are two groups—one in Harvard University and the other based locally—who would guide the party in terms of various plans.