2 men 'marry' to protest reopening of liquor shops in TN
Two men staged a mock wedding in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, to protest the reopening of state-owned liquor shops in the state. People had earlier forced closure of liquor outlets, citing the ill-effects of alcohol. The shops reopened recently, with protestors staging the mock wedding saying, "If you are an alcoholic, we will not let our women marry you."
Protesters in Tamil Nadu are finding innovative ways to register their opposition. First, the farmers of Tamil Nadu staged more than a month-long protest in New Delhi adopting new and peculiar ways grab attention, now the anti-liquor agitation is grabbing eye-balls.Protesters in Tamil Nadu's Thirunelveli organised a 'wedding' of two men in order to vent their outrage against TASMAC liquor shops.The agitators solemnised 'wedding' of two men as husband and wife while demonstrating about the ill effects of alcohol.  WHAT IS THE ISSUE? TASMAC or the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation is a state-owned company, which has a monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages in Tamil Nadu. After the Supreme Court order to shut down all the liquor shops near highways, public protests intensified in Tamil Nadu demanding that the booze outlets be closed down. The administration was forced to order closure of several liquor shops under surge in public protests. Many of the closed liquor shops reopened last month. As soon as the shops reopened protests erupted again.The residents of Paavurchathiram, near Thirunelveli previously have protested in different ways to remove TASMAC shops located near them. However, since May 1, they made a temporary shelter near the liquor shop, cooked and stayed there leading a campaign highlighting the ill effects of liquor.HOW IT HAPPENED IN THIRUNELVELIProtest at Thirunelveli was like any other protest till the agitators built a stage and started to decorate it for a wedding ceremony. soon the word spread in nearby areas.Crowd started gathering at the site of protest. Finally two men were brought on to the stage and a mock wedding ceremony was held to much amusement of the gathered crowd. Also Read:Mob vandalises TASMAC liquor shop after it opened in a residential area