The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Naidu slams Government on liquor issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 23, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Naidu slams Government on liquor issue

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 22. The Leader of the Opposition, N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Tuesday urged the Government not to go in appeal against the Division Bench order against the liquor policy and respect the public sentiment. The court order was reflective of the people's mood and all political parties too were against the new Excise policy.

In a scathing criticism of the Government's excise policy, Mr. Naidu demanded that an all-party meeting be convened on the issue. He said that depriving the existing traders of renewals would drive them to bankruptcy and the Government should return the DDs submitted by those seeking new licences.

Congress charge denied

Referring to the Congress criticism of the previous TD Government's Excise policy, he reiterated that he had never allowed any syndicates to flourish or fleece people. It was the Congress design to pave the way for syndicates of its partymen and there were reports of its leaders chalking out mutually respected areas of domination in the liquor business.

Several wine dealers were telephoning the TDP office to voice their concern over the possible denial of licences and threatening to commit suicide if deprived of a business opportunity, he said.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu said the new policy was not aimed at either reducing or streamlining the liquor trade but only to ensure liquor flow to every village for additional revenue, a far cry from the Congress Party's election promise of moving towards total prohibition, he said.

CLP joins issue

The CLP, however, reiterated that the new Excise policy was not for stepping up revenues but to put an end to liquor syndicates. The Minister for Commercial Taxes, K. Ramakrishna, told the media that the Government would respect the court verdict. The TDP had no moral right to criticise the excise policy since it scrapped total prohibition and allowed free flow of liquor despite public protest.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section