Headlines
Chandy again slams Rohatgi for appearing for bar owners
Thiruvananthapuram, July 23
For the second
time in two weeks, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Thursday
questioned the propriety of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi is appearing
on behalf of bar owners opposing the state's new liquor policy.
Chandy
attacked Rohatgi after the media pointed out that Kerala High Court's
Justice Alexander Thomas had Thursday, in the course of a case, said the
chief minister cannot question the attorney general appearing in a case
at the Supreme Court against the state government.
"Our country
follows a federal system and in the directive principles of the
constitution, it is clear that the centre should support the state, as
in this case, the centre is not at all a party. In this particular case,
we feel that the decision of our liquor policy is going to benefit the
people of the state as through it, we will bring down the availability
of liquor. Hence the centre should support the state," he told reporters
here after a cabinet meeting.
Chandy said that he has already
written to the prime minister expressing the state's displeasure at
Rohatgi appearing for the bar owners, who have questioned the liquor
policy, wherein barring 24 five star hotels, all other hotels with bars
have been closed since the beginning of this fiscal.
"I am yet to hear from the prime minister," he said.
This
case will now come up before the apex court on July 28 and it has to be
seen if Rohatgi appears against the state government.