TDP's state wide protest against liquor mafia on Dec 26

The Telugu Desam Party will hold protests before the District Collectorate across the State on December 26 against fleecing of poor consumers with exorbitant prices by liquor mafia and syndicates in the State.

Addressing a press conference at NTR Trust Bhavan here on Tuesday, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu questioned the silence of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on the exposure of corrupt activities of the liquor syndicate during the raids conducted by the Anti Corruption Bureau across the state. He demanded that the State Government convene an all party meeting to discuss the issue of liquor scam.

Naidu said that he would meet the Chief Minister on Thursday and Governor E S L Narasimhan on December 24 to explain the financial damage due liquor syndicates. He demanded that every liquor shop should put a MRP board for consumer’s benefit. The government should close belt-shops across the State and also book criminal charges against all those involved in the liquor syndicates.

Naidu alleged that the government has thrown all social responsibilities to wind and playing games with the lives of people by acting irresponsibly. He also slammed Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayana for openly justifying and defending the continuance of liquor syndicates in the state.

Instead of prohibiting liquor, Naidu said that the government itself was promoting the liquor consumption for mobilizing funds.

The TDP chief demanded that the government disclose the names of all the ministers and MLAs who were found involved in the liquor mafia. “It is high time for the government to announce a new permit system for liquor shops to put an end to the nexus between liquor syndicate and others,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Telugu Desam Mahila unit leaders and workers staged a dharna in front of the Nampally Excise Commissioner’s Office demanding dismissal of Ministers who are patronising the liquor syndicates.