Jagadguru Shivamurthy Shivacharya Swami of Sirigere, Chitradurga, has criticised the State government for issuing new licence to liquor shops and said that “it was the most worrying move by the government and it should be immediately stopped.”
He was talking to presspersons in Raichur before participating in the rally against alcoholism on Sunday.
Dr. Shivamurthy Shivacharya Swami said that liquor was banned during the rule of erstwhile Kings. Tipu Sultan banned liquor in 1787 amid opposition from his Minister Mir Sadiq saying that “people’s peaceful life is more important than revenue collection”. The Congress government should at least follow Tipu Sultan and decide to protect the interests of people by banning liquor, he added.
Dr. Shivamurthy Shivacharya Swami also urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to call for a special session to discuss the issue.
To a question, he replied that either he or any other from the organisations fighting alcoholism won’t meet Mr. Siddaramaiah to pressure him to ban liquor, as there has been no response from the successive governments to this 30-year-old struggle. He, however, clarified that the struggle will not be stopped until favourable results are obtained.
