I don't know whether i can post this in this forum but could not contain my anger. I was discussing with some one who said that Gujrat collects 8500 crores every year as Sales Tax. The department is fully effective. ( There is prohibition in the state. 2000 cr from petrol diesel sales tax and rest from other goods. Consider our state: Before that read the following Kurals. 2.3.20 கள்ளுண்ணாமை
Mata Amrutanadamayi was weeping after learning that TN Liquor sales topped during deepavali. The article below is actually a tonned down one of whatMata actually said in Malayalam.
By Mata Amritanandamayi
Dear Children,
ONCE again, a New Year has dawned. It is natural that new hopes and aspirations fill our minds with the advent of the New Year. Anything new is attractive. Children, right from your birth, the new has always attracted you. Everybody remembers the childhood when he or she went to the school with new books and in new clothes. Actually, what is new is in our mind. A child sees the world with great joy. He finds new in everything. Children, as you grow older, you tend to miss the newness around you. Thereafter, it's only complaints and grumblings.
Children who have newness in their minds have love in their hearts. They find beauty in everything. Hence, every object in this world appears beautiful and enjoyable to a child. Children, you should be able to maintain such a love for the world in your mind. If you do so, everyday will appear to be a New Year day for you. The year that has gone by had given us a lot of things to cherish. Of course, there were unhappy moments, too. We should learn from our experiences and move ahead. We should also be able to forget and forgive those who hurt us. After all, life is a happy blend of memory and forgetfulness.
It is our ability to forget that helps us to lead a joyous life. Life is like a garden. The falling of leaves is a natural process. The leaves of the past dry up, crumble and become manure. Likewise, the events that pained us should become manure for our growth. Then we will be able to lead a happy and contented life.
During the last few years, we have seen Kerala known as "God's Own Country" becoming "Liquor's Own Country". We feel ashamed about the amount of money spent on liquor during the festival days. Many people consider festivals as an opportunity to drink. Even the owners of liquor shops are fed up with some of them. I have heard the story of a man drinking non-stop at a liquor shop. The shop owner told him, "The night has fallen, please go home". He replied nonchalantly, "I will leave, I will leave".
When the shop owner lost his patience, the tipsy customer sat on a desk and began to row. The shop owner became angrier and told him, "I told you to go, but you are sitting on the desk". Then the drunkard replied, "Don't you see me rowing fast to reach home?" The owner lost his cool and asked, "Where is the boat? There is no boat here". Then he told him, "If there is no boat, I will rather swim". Thinking that there was water under the desk, he jumped and broke his limbs.
A child told me about a humorous piece of writing in a Tamil newspaper: "Have you heard how much liquor was consumed in Kerala? They drank liquor worth Rs 43 crore. We should beat them by drinking more during the next Deepavali". Children, in the New Year, you should resolve to say 'No to liquor', which destroys both peace and sense. We should keep aloof from liquor that ruins families. Children, you should remember that liquor, which gives momentary happiness, will take joy and peace away from the rest of your life.
The decision to say 'No to liquor' is a mall step towards a healthy and peaceful Kerala. Children, you should stop all kinds of entertainment where liquor is served. This should be your solemn pledge in this New Year. � Mother