Condemning Excise policy of the TRS government, State BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy today demanded that the government cancel liquor shops tenders in girijan areas.
Speaking to media at the State BJP office here, Kishan Reddy said the TRS government should re-consider its decision to open liquor shops in the Agency areas which might badly affect lives of girijans. Instead of protecting the rights of girijans, the State government was trying to usurp their rights and with the nexus of Excise mafia liquor shops are being opened in girijan areas. Benami liquor shops are being opened in girijan areas as girijans have no capacity to deposit earnest money for liquor shops, he alleged.
The KCR government, instead of striving for Bangaru Telangana, was indulging in fleecing people in the name of liquor, Kishan Reddy alleged. The revenue of the government from Excise and Prohibition department indicates that how much this government was interested in welfare of the people. The State government’s revenue from the Excise department was about Rs 21,000 crore and annual turnover of the liquor trade is Rs 4,0000 to 45,000 crore in the State, the BJP leader claimed.
Though the Central government has prohibited opening of liquor shops on national highways, but the state government is giving permission for these shops violating the norms of the central government. The TRS government after de-notifying the national highways according permission for liquor shops on the roads which is main cause of road accidents and against spirit of the Supreme Court verdict, he said.
Liquor consumption was affecting the health of the people leading to deaths. Will the government conduct a survey to find out how many people were dying after consumption of liquor and affecting their health, the BJP leader questioned. He also said he was writing a letter to the Chief Minister on the evil of liquor shops in the agency areas. If the CM fails to respond positively, the party would approach the High Court, he added. (NSS)