Kerala presents a funny paradox as every fuel price hike meets with a hartal while spikes in liquor prices are gulped with a whimper to end up in tipsy harangues inside liquor bars.
Kerala has shown an increasing appetite for liquor, with the annual intake going up as the price gallops. The latest has been a six per cent hike in liquor price which translates into an average of around Rs 25 for a full bottle.
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India has even put Kerala and Punjab as leading liquor consuming states. Kerala alone accounts for 16 per cent of the total liquor consumed in the country.
Sales of liquor in the last fiscal crossed a record Rs 7,000 crore and the revenue to the state by way of taxes crossed Rs 6,000 crore. The revenue from liquor sales in 2001 was only Rs 1, 690 crore.
The state government recently increased the price of liquor by five per cent following a strong demand by the manufacturers. Later another one per cent hike was imposed on account of health cess.
Perhaps no Malayali would want to admit in public that he drinks which explains why he is not able to form an association to protest against liquor price hikes.
One organization was formed a few years ago but it evaporated sooner.
One way out of the price spike of essential commodities and fuel would be to cut down on liquor consumption and offset the extra outgo. But this calls for a sober appraisal of habits.