The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : BJP stir against ‘belt shops’

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Tuesday, Aug 07, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

BJP stir against ‘belt shops’

Staff Reporter

NALGONDA: Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party Mahila Morcha stormed into the Excise Superintendent’s office demanding closure of ‘belt shops’ here on Monday.

Led by Vanam Pushpalatha, State unit secretary, Chintala Sujatha, district unit president, and Devineni Nirmala, BJP State executive member, about a hundred women first staged a dharna at the office and raised slogans against the Government for “encouraging boozing in the State in a big way.”

Officials taken to task

Later they barged into the office and took officials to task charging them with colluding with ‘belt shop’ owners. The timely intervention of the police saved the office from bring ransacked by the agitators.

The women blocked the main gate of the office and raised another round of slogans.

Addressing the agitators, the leaders alleged that liquor and arrack had been wreaking havoc in the lives of women. The BJP leaders -- Goli Madhusudan Reddy, Veerelli Chandrasekhar, Oruganti Ramulu, Veerelli Andal and Janabai -- also took part in the programme.

Mr. Reddy, president of the BJP district unit, told reporters that the Government was encouraging belt shops to earn more money.

“Every village has a minimum of ten such shops. On the other hand the Excise officials are encouraging arrack businessmen,” he added.

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