TDP liquor policy faulty: Vasireddy Padma

Hyderabad, Demanding the TDP government
to stall its idea of following the Tamil Nadu model of excise policy, YSR
Congress has said the Chief Minister instead of putting a check on the
cheap liquor shops (belt shops) has been eagerly pursing the path of
generating excise revenue by setting targets. 

“Chandrababu Naidu was very vociferous
during electioneering on closing down the belt shops and it was one of the five
files he signed immediately after assuming office. With no enforcement or
follow up of the GO, the shops are thriving three fold and the State is
contemplating to directly enter the liquor trade on the lines of
Tamil Nadu. 

The flip side of the TDP will lead to
dire consequences as many studies of the Tamil Nadu example have revealed and
we demand the State to shun from such policies,” party spokesperson Vasireddy
Padma told reporters here on Tuesday. 

Chandrababu Naidu had used the
anti-arrack movement earlier for political gains and has killed the spirit of
the agitation by lifting prohibition. 

Though many years have passed by, the
attitude of Chandrababu Naidu remains the same. He has issued a GO scrapping
belt shops, which is only a deed of showoff as the running the shops is an
illegal activity and there is no need to issue a fresh order and the rules to
deal with such offences are in place. 

He did not convene any review meeting on
the status of closing down the illegal shops, which in fact multiplied but has
been convening meetings on a regular basis to increase the excise revenue and
is setting targets,” she said. 

“The double standards of the Chief
Minister are thus exposed and the proposal to adopt the Tamil Nadu model of liquor policy
will increase the crime rate and will lead to serious consequences,” she said
and demanded that TDP should shelve any such proposal.