The new excise policy of the State government invited the wrath of people’s organisations in the city on Wednesday. Women organisations staged protests at different places.
Andhra Pradesh Mahila Samakhya city committee broke liquor bottles at Lenin Centre to register their protest. Addressing the gathering Samakhya State general secretary P. Durga Bhavani said the TDP government had promised that it would phase out belt shops in the State. However, in a span of one year, the it was poised to turn the State into a haven for tipplers, she said.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was acting like a brand ambassador for liquor firms. Liquor was being sold freely at every nook and corner. The safety of women on roads was a big question as the tipplers were misbehaving with them, she said, and urged the people to oppose the policy tooth and nail.
Samakhya city general secretary Panchadarla Durgamba and others spoke.
All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) and Democratic Youth Federation of India staged novel protests at Pushpa Hotel centre, Krishnalanka and other places.
Their protest depicted that the government was selling liquor along with vegetables. AIDWA city president Kaja Saroja and others were present. At Krishnalanka, AIDWA city secretary K. Sridevi lamented that the government was treating the liquor as a revenue generating source. Agitation would be taken up in a big way if government failed to remove the belt shops, she added.
