The women of Mirthipadu village in Seethanagaram mandal, who are up in arms against a liquor shop in their village, have taken oath to continue their agitation till the liquor shop is shifted.
“We are ready to face lathis, but will not stop the agitation,” say MPP S. Janaki and other agitators.
The women, along with the members of HRC, AIDWA, AIWF, Lok Satta and Mahila Rajyam, held a press conference here on Tuesday. Ms. Janaki said that women in the village gave representation to RDO in March when the liquor shop was proposed and later met excise officials several times.
But, turning a deaf ear to their plea, the Excise Department okayed the proposal and the shop was set up in the village.
Muppalla Subba Rao, senior advocate, said that the shop in the village was established against the wishes of women.
Liquor was being sold at the price higher than the MRP, he said and added that it also violated all norms. It was mandatory that the panchayat should pass a resolution for establishment of any shop. But, it was done in this case, he pointed out.
Ch. Ramanamma, an agitator, said that there was no possibility of getting potable water after establishment of the liquor shop near the drinking water tap.
Support extended
Chandrakala of Lok Satta ridiculed the government's excise policy. Tulasi of AIDWA and Yedla Lakshmi of AIWF, Harika of Mahila Rajyam, Keta Satyanarayana of Jai Bharat extended their support to the agitation.
