Thiruvananthapuram: Stepping up allegations against the Pinarayi Vijayan government, Congress led opposition here on Monday alleged multi-crore corruption behind the government decision to allow sale of foreign made foreign liquor FMFL ) through liquor outlets and beer-wine parlours in the state.Former minister and Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told reporters that the scam was a continuation of the LDF government’s abortive attempt to give furtive sanction to breweries and distilleries amid the floods and the melee that followed.“The government had earlier stated in the abkari policy about its plans for starting the sale of FMFL through beverages outlets. But recently, the government has given permission to 17 foreign liquor companies for the indiscriminate sale of their products, through star hotels to beer-wine parlours. By opening all doors to foreign liquor mafia, the LDF government is trying to submerge the state in liquor. The decision is part of a multi-crore deal and the government should tell who received how much in the deal,” Radhakrishnan said.Though the opposition had given notice for adjournment motion on the FMFL issue, the House adjourned during the question hour itself.“We wanted to raise the issue in the floor of the House. But the government was adamant in its stand towards the indefinite sit-in by UDF MLAs that forced us not to cooperate with the assembly proceedings. The government was in no mood to continue the proceedings as it was sure about getting exposed in the House over the FMFL issue,” opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said.Chennithala said the decision to sanction the sale of FMFL through liquor outlets and beer-wine parlours was taken without discussing the same in the cabinet.However, excise minister T P Ramakrishnan rejected the allegations. The minister told a news conference that the opposition was trying to create a smokescreen by making baseless allegations.“Sale of FMFL is there in the state since 2007. As per SRO number 223/2007, excise commissioner is authorized to give licence for the sale of FMFL through bar hotels and beer-wine parlours by collecting annual fee of Rs 25,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. The FMFL thus sold is procured by them from customs-bonded warehouses. It’s to check the pilferage of tax revenue the government has decided to give sanction for the authorised sale of FMFL through beverage outlets. There is no truth in the corruption allegations,” he added.

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