Activists of the Shantaveri Gopala Gowda Samajawadi Adhyayana Kendra Trust staged a protest here on Monday, condemning the remarks made recently by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the State Legislature on re-introduction of arrack and issuance of licences for new liquor outlets.
Addressing the protest meet, Kallur Megharaj, managing trustee, said that during the budget session of State Legislature on March 27, Mr. Siddaramaiah had said that after the State government had banned the sale of arrack, its illegal trading had increased in rural areas. Mr. Siddaramaiah had said in the State Legislature that if the Opposition parties agreed, the government would re-introduce sale of arrack and issue licences for opening new liquor outlets to avoid its illicit trading.
Mr. Megharaj said that such a move would spoil the health of society in the State. Re-introduction of arrack and allowing new outlets to open would be detrimental to the interests of the poor, he said.
He alleged that the officials of the Police and the Excise departments were hand-in-glove with those involved in illegal sale of liquor.
The government should enact a proper law to ensure stringent punishment to those involved in the illegal sale of liquor. Re-introduction of arrack and issuance of licences to commence new liquor shops was not a proper solution for the problem, he said.
The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner in this regard.
G. Madappa, former MLC, and functionaries of the trust N.V. Halappa, Holemadilu Venkatesh, Prema and K.C. Geetha participated in the protest.
