Kochi: The Syro-Malabar Church has sharply criticized Kerala Excise Minister M. B. Rajesh’s recent statement advocating for an increase in local liquor production and export, describing the move as “immature and dangerous.” The Church expressed deep concern over the government’s apparent willingness to treat alcohol as a means of economic growth, warning that such policies risk devastating social and moral consequences for the state.
According to the Church, the minister’s remarks suggesting that liquor production could be expanded to generate income, create employment, and contribute to economic development reflect a dangerous mindset that prioritizes profit over the well-being of society. “If the goal is to ensure the state’s development, it should not be built on the destruction of families and the health of citizens,” the statement said, calling it “tragic” that the Kerala government continues to depend on liquor and lottery as its primary sources of revenue.
The Church accused the government of hypocrisy, noting that successive administrations have often spoken of prohibition and temperance during election seasons, only to reverse their stance afterward. “The new liquor policy proposed by Minister Rajesh exposes the emptiness of past promises,” the Church observed, warning that Kerala is witnessing an unprecedented proliferation of liquor outlets and intoxicant availability.
Highlighting the broader social impact of alcohol abuse, the Syro-Malabar Church pointed to the rise in divorce cases, road accidents, and violent crimes associated with substance use. Reports of growing domestic violence linked to alcohol consumption, it said, underscore the urgency for responsible governance rather than expansion of production. “It is shocking that, at a time when families are breaking apart and lives are being destroyed by addiction, the government is attempting to promote alcohol even further right into people’s homes,” the statement read.
The Church further noted that the true strength of a democracy lies in a healthy and disciplined society, not in economic gains derived from addiction and moral decay. It condemned the irony of a government that claims to represent workers and the poor while depending on lottery and liquor revenues both of which, it argued, exploit vulnerable sections of society.
Calling on the state to withdraw from its “unwise and socially destructive” path, the Church urged policymakers to uphold the common good and adopt development models that prioritize public health and moral integrity.
In a strong concluding remark, the Syro-Malabar Church denounced the minister’s attempt to label critics of alcohol expansion as vested interests. “By dismissing those who speak for society’s well-being, the minister only reveals his alignment with forces that profit from addiction and social ruin,” the statement said.
The Church reiterated that true progress cannot be built on the ruins of human dignity and family life, urging the government to act with moral responsibility and reconsider its liquor policy in the interest of Kerala’s future generations.