The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Telugu Desam threatens agitation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Telugu Desam threatens agitation

Staff Reporter

Tourism Minister comes under fire for move to relax bar timings

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party has threatened to agitate if the Congress Government went ahead with its plans of keeping open eateries and bars through late nights.

At a press conference on Wednesday, party secretaries, Shobha Rani and Rajinikumari, lashed out specifically at the Tourism Minister, J. Geeta Reddy, for taking a decision which was tantamount to insulting women and eroding the traditional culture of Deccani Hyderabad.

Ms. Shobha Rani said it was common knowledge that crimes against women were on the rise and maintained that the crime rate would spiral if shops and establishments were open through late nights. Also, it was not proper for the Government to rub other cultures and traditions on Hyderabad, which was known for its rich tradition and culture, she added.

She recalled that when the TDP was in power, Ms. Geeta Reddy had, as president of the women's wing of the Congress, protested against expansion of facilities in the State capital for promoting tourism. Now she was going all out to try and keep eateries and bars open till late in the night, Ms. Shobha Rani said, and alleged it could be the handiwork of a bunch of influential hoteliers.

They warned that if the Government permitted eateries and bars to remain open till late in the night, it would surely corrupt the youth.

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