Thiruvananthapuram: The Catholic Church in Kerala has asked the Left Democratic Front led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to clarify its liquor policy.

The Church demand comes as the southern Indian state gets ready to elect its 140-member legislative assembly on May 16.

Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC), an association of Latin, Syro Malabar and Syro Malankara Churches, wants the Left Front to announce its policy on liquor as early as possible.

“They are stating that they are not for prohibition, but abstinence. But abstinence is not a government policy. It is to be made by each individual. The prerogative of the government is to make laws and implement them and control the evil,” KCBC Spokesperson Father Varghese Vallikkatt told news agency PTI.

The Church suspects the Left Front is unable to clarify its liquor policy as it is in collusion with the liquor mafia in the state.

The Catholic Church wants an ‘effective control’ over liquor and not abstinence, Fr Vallikkatt said.

“LDF should make it clear whether they will liberalize the present liquor policy and whether they will open closed bars. The people need to know if they will effectively regulate availability of liquor or they will liberalize it…Why is the Left Front keeping their policy very secretive?,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Syro Malabar Catholic Church said it was in favor of total prohibition.

Father Jimmy Poochakkatt, Syro Malabar Church’s official spokesperson, said that they “always favor a total ban. “That should be so. The steps taken by UDF government in this regard are welcome.”

The Church stand has boosted the UDF government of Oommen Chandy that plans total liquor ban in the state.

The Chandy government had in 2014 closed down about 700 odd bars as part of its liquor policy that envisages total prohibition in the next 10 years. Presently, liquor can be served only in five star hotels.

Taking a different stand on the issue, Communist Party of India (Marxist) has said that total prohibition was ‘impractical’ and if LDF was voted to power, it would try to reduce consumption of liquor through abstinence. They would also hold awareness campaigns to achieve their goal in cooperation with anti-liquor outfits.

Taking into consideration the polices of the two Fronts on liquor, the Church feels that UDF policy “is more favorable” and “welcoming,” Fr Poochakatt said. However, this does not mean that they were politically supporting UDF, he clarified.

“We are not for politics. We are not for UDF or LDF. But considering the policies of the two fronts on liquor, the policy of UDF is more favorable and so we welcome it,” he said.

He said a parish priest recently told him many problems had decreased in his after the imposition of the liquor ban.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had on April 6 slammed the CPI(M)’s liquor abstinence policy and said the Marxist party’s aim was to do away with his government liquor policy.

CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier said LDF would hold a campaign in the state with anti-liquor outfits on ill-effects of liquor and that CPI(M) was not a party that encourages liquor.

Party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the CPI(M) was against total prohibition.

KPCC President V M Sudheeran had hit out at Vijayan, saying it shows the alleged nexus between the liquor lobby and CPI(M) leaders.