The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : BJP protests against liquor shop auctions

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

BJP protests against liquor shop auctions

Photo: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar

In protest mode: BJP and BJYM activists staging a dharna in Tirupati on Wednesday. —

Tirupati: The State government drew flak from the State and district leaders of the BJP and the BJYM on Wednesday for allegedly opening the flood-gates for liquor in the State merely to fill its coffers with no concern whatsoever on the already shattered lives of the poor especially in the rural areas.

Leaders belonging to the two outfits led by BJYM State president G. Bhanuprakash Reddy held a protest at the Gandhi statue here emptying liquor and beer bottles on the road and displaying anti-government placards. They also took serious exception to the government issuing licences in one go to 40 distilleries which were pending for many years. They dared Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to use his clout in Delhi to tap additional funds for the welfare schemes in the State instead of playing with the lives of the poor and the peasants whose lives were already broken due to the agrarian crisis.

Mr. Bhanuprakash Reddy had a dig at the Chief Minister for backtracking on his election promise to phase-out the liquor menace in phases but doing exactly the reverse now -- opening liquor shops and belt shops in the nook and corner of the State, he said.

Among others who took part in the dharna were the city BJP unit president Samanchi Srinivas, State BJYM secretary Ponaganti Bhaskar, BJP district publicity secretary, Capt. Raja Reddy, city Mahila Morcha chief Vedavathi.

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