Thiruvananthapuram: The Leader of the Opposition in Kerala, V D Satheesan, stated that he is against the frequent increase in alcohol prices. Speaking during an adjournment motion discussion in the Legislative Assembly on inflation, Satheesan argued that the belief that higher alcohol prices reduce consumption is misguided. “When prices go up, people don’t cut down consumption. In fact, someone who had three pegs till yesterday might have a fourth today out of frustration,” he said.

Kerala, he noted, has the highest inflation rate in India, and it was while explaining the reasons behind this that he shared his views on alcohol pricing.

Satheesan’s remarks on alcohol pricing:

“You promised the public that you wouldn’t raise the prices of subsidised items. Liquor sales are a major source of government revenue. My opinion is simply that prices shouldn’t be raised frequently. The idea that consumption drops when prices rise is a myth. No one who had three pegs yesterday is having just two today. Instead, they might have a fourth out of frustration. What gets reduced is the money handed over at home—not the money spent on drinking. And the victims of this are women and children. I don’t believe that lowering alcohol prices will reduce consumption either.”