In a powerful and symbolic gathering at Ulundurpet, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader and Member of Parliament Thol Thirumavalavan reiterated his party’s unwavering stance on fighting alcohol and drug abuse. Speaking at the VCK Women’s Wing Conference, which he called a “milestone” in the party’s political history, Thirumavalavan emphasized that the event was apolitical, solely focused on the welfare of the masses, particularly addressing the pervasive issue of alcohol consumption.
“Alcohol is the mother of all crime,” Thirumavalavan declared to the large crowd, reaffirming his commitment to the cause of total prohibition in Tamil Nadu. He stressed that the fight against liquor would not waver, and hinted that the VCK could transform from a political party into a broader social movement, akin to Periyar’s Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), to achieve its goals. “They are weighing us like an average politician. But I will not take a step back from this stand. I would rather move away from electoral politics and turn the party (VCK) into a social movement to achieve our goal,” he said.
The conference attracted national attention and marked a significant moment for the VCK, as it emphasized its resolve to battle social issues like alcohol and drug abuse, which Thirumavalavan believes are deeply rooted in the state’s problems. In this vein, the party passed resolutions urging the Union Government to establish a national-level policy on total prohibition, as provided by Article 47 of the Indian Constitution, and called for the Tamil Nadu government to outline a clear timeline for the shutdown of state-run liquor outlets (TASMAC).
While many questioned VCK’s decision to invite representatives from the ruling DMK to the event, Thirumavalavan saw this as a victory for his cause. The DMK sent two senior leaders to the conference, signaling their ideological support for total prohibition. Thirumavalavan criticized the AIADMK for commercializi