The all party round-table which was held today elected prof. PL Visweswara Rao as the chairman of the anti-cheap liquor joint action committee. It was also decided to launch the movement against the government cheap liquor policy from Gajwel, the assembly constituency represented by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
The meeting, held in Odisha Bhavan here Saturday, was attended among others by N Uttamkumar Reddy (Congress), E Dayakar Rao (TDP), Dr. Lakshman (BJP), Dr Sudhakar (CPI).
The meeting also decided to rope in large number of women into the movement as woman is going to be casualty of the policy.
Gajwel to become epicentre of cheap liquor movement
Cheap liquor is like Tea in Telangana state
You can have booze like tea or coffee in Telangana. In the new state, which boasts to become a golden state and of course, it needs huge funding, a cup of coffee costs Rs 10 to Rs 15 depending the hotel. Instead of tea, one can by a large peg (90 ml) with the same amount, at Rs 15. Thanks to new liquor policy, which got the chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s nod Friday, Telangana folk can relax after a day-long hard labor, by buying peg-bottle at the outlets at all street corners of villages. And there is no limit to the number of shops to be set up at Mandal level. Another good news for people, the government has made it mandatory for all liquor shops to sell 40 per cent cheap liquor of their total sales.Though the proposal to keep the bars and wine shops open round the clock is kept in abeyance, the new policy has given a go ahead for the cheap liquor sales across the state. To make it accessible to the poor, a small bottle of 90 ml is fixed at Rs 15 while that of 180 ml at Rs 30. Government wants to earn a whopping Rs 16000 crore from liquor sales this year.
However, signing of new liquor policy by chief mminister KCR has been greeted by protest by women in Hyderabad. On Saturday, all political parties are meeting in Kalia Bhavan to chalk out their program of action. PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, TDP leader Errabali Dayakar, BJP floor leader Dr Lakshman, YSRCP MP Ponguleti Venkata Reddy, Telangana porata Vedika, Cheruku Sudhakr, intellectuals Prof PL Visweswar Rao, Kancha Ilaiah etc are attending the meeting. While TDP woman’s wing vowed to fight the policy till it is withdrawn, Congress woman’s wing staged it first protest, led by Mahila Congress president Nerella Sarada, at Gun park. TDP woman’w wing chief Sobha Rani decried TRS oft repeated statement that they were implementing the agenda of ‘Annalu’. She asked KCR’s daughter and MP Kavita so show the proof that Annalu supported the cheap liquor. The women announced that they would start the agitation with a bang from October 2, the day of Gandhi Jayanti.
“KCR as cheap liquor brand ambassador disgraceful”
Congress former MP Ponnan Prabhakar wondered how a chief minister prescribes liquor consumption as a remedy for body pains for a working class man in Telangana after a day-long hard labor.
Referring to Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s promotion of cheap liquor, Ponnam, who represented Karimanagar Lok Sabha constituency in previous Lok Sabha, said KCR was first chief minister in the country, who openly endorsed consumption liquor as body-pain reliever for poor in the place of country liquor.
” Mr Chief Minister, can you release a medical certificate to prove that cheap liquor has soothing effect on the people?,” he asked.
Ponnam on behalf of Congress party is working for an all-party JAC to wage struggle against the cheap liquor promotion by chief minister himself.
“In the name of eliminating Gudumba (country brew), the government has decided to make available to cheap liquor in every village in Telangana. The mandal headquarters will have a shop and every village will have an outlet. This is the promotion strategy of the government,” Ponnam said.
Stating that governmental promotion of cheap liquor and making it freely available at every street corner would ruin the families of weaker sections in the new state, he said.
“With chief minister KCR as brand ambassador, and ubiquitous availability will encourage people to cheap liquor consuption. It is bound to destroy the family economies.Families are bound to witness unrest. It will spoil cordial relations in families. Crime rates and suicides will increase. All parties should oppose and form into a Joint Action Committee to oppose the introduction of cheap liquor,” Ponnam told T-360.
The former MP ridiculed KCR for his inability to eliminate Gudumba despite having vast police, prohibition apparatus at his command.
“Attempt to ban Gudumba only to help liquor business won’t do any good. Because, as production of Gudumba is lucrative, it always encourages illicit brewing,” he warned.
Ponnam said an attempt was being made to form JAC with all political parties and voluntary bodies to fight the menace of KCR’s cheap liquor promotion.
If JAC proves impracticable, Congress would alone launch a movement against the introduction of cheap liquor as medicine and outlets in every village, he said adding that Congress had the backing of many women’s organizations.
” We will announce the action plan in a day or two,” Ponnam said.
Our State -Our Booze : New Mantra of Telangana
Cheers. The leadership of Telangana found to its dismay that there was a huge gap between demand and supply of liquor in the nascent state . Arrangement are afoot to see that supply of booze is sufficient and to make it affordable in rural-TS. At the same time, an opportunity will given to the Urban folk to have the relish of their favorite tipple at midnight.
This is all part of the new program the TS launching under the name “Our State-Our Booze”.
The dual purpose of the new slogan is to make available booze to all sections of people at affordable rates in rural areas and for long hours in urban areas.
The government has immediately initiated steps to ensure that it gap is filled up in no time and supply is aplenty. It has launched a program “Our State and Our Liquor”. There are 17 distilleries in Telangana. As these are inadequate, the government is permitting five more distilleries and some micro-breweries to produce enough beer for benefit B-guzzlers. And to make the liquor is within the reach of everyone in the state, the rate of cheap liquor of 180 ML is fixed at Rs 30. The government also decided to abolish the 160-190 per cent VAT on people’s liquor. And for the benefit of the Urban folk, who is repsonsible for vibrancy of economy, the timings of watering-holes have been extended. Now they will be kept open till 12 midnight. In addition to the existing ones, another 200 liquor shops will spring up in GHMC area in a month.
Telangana rural drinkers are affected by two chronic problems- Gudumba in Warangal, Khammam, Mahabubnagar and Ranga Reddy, and Adulterated Toddy in Medak, Karimnagar, Nizambad. The new policy of “Our State- Our Booze” is also aimed at curbing the menace.
If people cooperate, the TS government would achieve the revenue target of Rs 13,500 crore.
Not liquor, T-farmers need water
KCR’s intense love for luxury cars and his inappropriate longing to supply cheap liquor to the rural poor has come in for criticism from all quarters. Congress which is planning to launch second Telangana movement as per the call given by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi, wants to make this main plank.
Today the state Congress leaders , N Uttam Kumar Reddy (PCC president), Mallu Bhatti Vikramarkha, MLA Sampath Kumar, chief spokesperson Shravan Dasoju etc and briefed her about the what was happening in Telangana under TRS rule.
Even the issue of KCRs new cars and his weird liquor policy that laid emphasis on supplying cheap liquor to every village in the name of eradicating Gudumba, arrack also came up for discussion. She called upon Telangana people to wage second Telangana movement for peoples’ Telangana on the line of T-movement which they ran for ten year for the separate state.
Party spokesperson Mallu Ravi slammed KCR for his for his misguided priorities. ” Entire Telangana received deficit rainfall. Power shortage is acute. Dirnking water problem is aggravating. At this time, instead of concentrating on addressing these issues, chief minister KCR, without any feeling of guilt, is advocating the drinking of cheap liquor as pain killer. He had no compunction to spend about 10 crore on a bus and four cars, even though new cars which were bought just an year ago were available.
He wondered how chief minister reviewed the Excise department readiness to make available cheap liquor from October 1, in every village.
