The Indian Government had recently announced that there would be some relaxation in the guidelines for the ongoing third phase of the lockdown. One of these was the permission to allow liquor stores to reopen across the country. Many states immediately announced that they would allow their liquor stores to reopen but Tamil Nadu had decided against it. However, after witnessing the crowds of Tamilians in bordering towns & villages, rushing into neighbouring states to purchase liquor, it was announced by the TN State Govt. yesterday evening, that the TASMAS wine shops would reopen in the state, from May 7th! Though this decision received the backing of liquor connoisseurs across the state, it received an equal measure of brickbats from all quarters!

Minister Sellur Raju, is very notorious for a number of things, including his experiment to cover water bodies with thermocol sheets to stop evaporation. Recently, after participating in Corona Relief efforts in Madurai district's Karisal Kulam village, he addressed the Press & Media. While talking about the decision to reopen the wine shops, Sellur Raju stated that it was very difficult to keep the liquor shops in TN closed, when the neighbouring states had allowed them to open. He also went on to mention that this decision was reached mainly to stop people from brewing illicit arrack and consuming it. Now, this statement has come in for a lot of criticism on social media. Meanwhile, earlier today, the TN Government announced that the TASMAC wine shops under the Chennai City Police regions would not be opened till May 17th.