One business that never diminishes or comes down for ever is the Devil's boon to mankind! If you pass your exams, the celebrations begin with alcohol! The other way round if one fails in exams, the dejection is suppressed with the same alcohol!! If you buy a car or a house or get promotion in your office, the mood is to drink and express happiness! Hence, the overall factor for either happiness or sorrow is through Whisky or its allied kins that are available in various forms.
In India, sale of alcohol is mostly controlled by the government agencies who have no heart to balm the affected wounds of millions of drinkers. On the drop of a hat, these agencies revise the price upwards, knowing pretty well that the person who wants to indulge in drinking has to come to their door steps. Invariably, the government prices the product in odd numbers. If a customer pays Rs 100/- for a bottle of drink costing Rs 94/-, the balance of Rs 6/- is pocketed by the employees working at the outlet! So much so that TASMAC is the only government agency that opens their shop at 7am and close it at 10 pm. The employees never take any off or absent themselves as they stand to loose their share of loot that they make out of the customers by not paying the required change!! There are instances of murder and kidnapping of employees due to feud and enmity that revolves around the lucrative business.
The other day, I had some friends who desired to drink certain whisky/rum/beer of their choice. I struggled to get anywhere near the TASMAC shop as it was too crowded with unruly people who were already drunk and were stinking all around, may be because of the humid weather? With efforts, I went to the counter and asked for a bottle of Aristocrat, an Old cask rum and a few bottles of Haywards beer. The employee responded in lightening speed saying none of them were available and rattled the brands that were only available namely Bacardi Apple rum/some whisky which i have never heard of and King Fisher beer!! I asked him if he can sell some good wine bottles to which he replied in negative saying there are no wine bottles available for sale!! I asked him as to why he is unable to supply what we wanted. He asked me to buy if I wanted these or vacate the place for other customers!! I returned not buying anything in protest and decided to write to the authorities who control these outlets.
The State Government is not bothered to open up competition in these sectors and instead force people to drink whatever is supplied to these outlets. There seems to be no choice for people who are forced to buy products that is thrust upon them. It is rumoured and widely believed that only those breweries which takes care of the political thirst are allowed to stock their products with TASMAC.
If you go to Bangalore, you find so many private agencies selling different varieties of beer/whisky/rum and wines and one is amazed to find so many Indian brands that are available off the shelf! Why can't the government of Tamilnadu do the same thing and allow multi brands to come into the market so that tipplers can have their choice of drinks according to their tastes?
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