Telangana Congress has demanded that the government control belt shops, permit rooms and indiscriminate sale of liquor, which according to it was the main reason for the rising atrocities on women.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Bhatti Vikramarka alleged that the sale of liquor has increased enormously in the State and the government was promoting it without realising the social consequences. All it was interested in was generating revenues leaving aside its prime responsibility of controlling illegal sale, he said.
He said the revenue from excise was ₹ 11,900 crore in 2015 and increased to ₹ 20,000 crore in 2018. There is an increase of 18 lakh cases of bottles from 2015 to 2018 and it reflects how the government was encouraging people to spend on liquor.
Government failure
Mr. Vikramarka said the party wanted stringent action against the accused in the rape and murder of Disha and two others and related these incidents to the government’s failure to control liquor. These incidents have disturbed everyone in the State and the government’s failure was evident.
The CLP leader alleged that the police failed to prevent the incidents as they were busy serving the ruling party leaders and ignoring the common people. Police department wasn’t established to serve the TRS leaders, he reminded adding that what was the police doing when a minimum of two missing cases of women were being registered every day in the State.
Mr. Vikramarka also objected to the hike in RTC ticket charges saying Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had increased the charges while promising ₹ 1,000 crore for RTC every year. “Where is the need for hike in charges when the government gives ₹ 1,000 crore,” he asked.
Candle light
The party will hold a candle light rally from Tank Bund to Raj Bhavan on December 7 in memory of the women who were raped and murdered. Later, a delegation of the party will meet the Governor and submit a memorandum.
Earlier, Congress MLAs T. Jayaprakash Reddy, Seethakka, Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, D. Sreedhar Babu along with Mr. Vikramarka protested at the CLP office with placards demanding control in liquor sales.
