Annamalai Slams TN Govt For Not Banning Liquor But Cotton Candy

K Annamalai, the BJP state president, launched a scathing attack on the Tamil Nadu government, accusing it of misplaced priorities by banning cotton candy while ignoring the pervasive issue of liquor sales through TASMAC outlets. Addressing a gathering during the ‘En Mann, En Makkal’ padayatra in Pallavaram, Chennai, as part of the Sriperumbudur constituency, Annamalai expressed incredulity at the government’s decision to prohibit cotton candy sales while allowing the unhindered operation of TASMAC outlets, which retail alcohol. Annamalai criticized the government’s rationale, suggesting that the ban on cotton candy was implemented because it is typically sold by ordinary citizens, while the liquor industry, dominated by interests associated with the ruling DMK party, remains untouched. He pointedly remarked that since liquor production involves a DMK MP, there appears to be no inclination to impose any restrictions on it. The BJP leader questioned the government’s commitment to public health, highlighting the irony of prioritizing the ban on colorful cotton candies while neglecting the potentially harmful effects of alcohol consumption. Referring to concerns raised by the state health department regarding the health impacts of cotton candy, Annamalai asked whether the government had considered the health risks associated with alcohol, particularly in relation to liver cancer.