Relocate Tasmac shops near graveyard: Selvaperunthagai

CHENNAI: Tasmac has always been a topic which kept debates exciting in the State Assembly. It did not disappoint the audience even on Thursday when the House witnessed some strange requests related to Tasmac liquor outlets.

Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address in the State Assembly, Congress legislature party leader K Selvaperunthagai on Thursday requested the State government to shift the Tasmac liquor outlets near graveyards. Pointing out that women were strongly objecting to the presence of liquor outlets in many parts of the state, the Congress MLA said that the government would do well to shift them near graveyards. Curiously, it was not the only Tasmac related suggestion the House lent ears to.

Close liquor outlets at 5pm: BJP MLA

Speaking a few minutes prior to him, his BJP counterpart Nainar Nagendran expressed anguish at youths taking to alcohol and said that the government could reduce the business hours of the liquor outlets. Even if the government could not enforce total prohibition now, it could reduce the business hours, the BJP legislature party leader said, suggesting that the government could allow the Tasmac outlets, which open at 12 noon, to operate till 5pm instead of the existing 10pm. Nagendran followed it up with another suggestion that the government could deposit the Pongal gift money in the accounts of women instead of paying by cash, which the men were taking to Tasmac liquor outlets straightaway.