Taxes kill. In Sangrampur village in Bengal 63 men, mainly rickshaw pullers and laborers, have died of methyl alcohol poisoning after drinking locally brewed hooch. Another 80 are in hospital. How many will end up blind and unable to earn a living only the future will tell. This is a regular occurrence in India directly related to extremely high taxes on alcoholic drinks. Beer, which costs less than Rs 10 a bottle to manufacture, costs more than Rs 100 in some states. In Delhi the cost of a bottle of beer has gone up from Rs 30 to Rs 60 in recent months because of increasing taxes. High taxes are necessary to balance the money being looted by criminal politicians and thieving civil servants. One female politician has been squatting illegally in a government accommodation for decades and owes Rs 20 million in rent which succeeding governments of different parties have forgiven her. When this parliament met for the first time the first order of business saw a bill allowing ministers to travel first class at taxpayers' expense with family, friends and others. These scoundrels go abroad with children who are not subjected to customs check when they return. We can safely assume that these scum are smuggling in millions of dollars worth of contraband every year. Air India is bankrupt with debts in excess of Rs 400 billion and the government has agreed to spend Rs 200 billion of taxpayer money to bail it out. Yet a proposal being considered by the Air India board would allow its top officials First and Business class and international travel for life and for their extended families even after their deaths. Exterminate the vermin. That is the only way to survive.