Hyderabad: CPI national secretary Dr. K. Narayana today demanded the central and state governments to not permit liquor shops to open till the ongoing lockdown was completely withdrawn in the state. Referring to the protest being organized by migrant workers at different places of the state, he said the problems wouldn’t have been so severe if the state and central governments had imposed the lockdown after sending the migrant workers to their native places.
He made these remarks while addressing a gathering of party workers at their day-long protest program demanding the state government to solve the problems faced by the migrant workers, farmers, and employees of the state.
Speaking on the occasion he targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his sudden decision of their lockdown and asked as to how the PM, could take such abrupt decisions for 130 crore people of the country. He said that the migrant workers, who are allowed to leave for their native places, were not being allowed to enter their villages due to the threat of the coronavirus. He alleged that the governments of the state had forgotten their promise of providing free rice to the migrant workers. He alleged that the government has belonged to the traitors of the country but not the migrant workers.
He demanded the state and central governments to solve the problems being faced by the farmers of the country while warning that they would hold special protest programs by violating the lockdown until the problem is resolved.
The Telangana government has given a green signal to start production at breweries in the state from May 4 onwards. The move has triggered speculation on whether the wine shops will reopen or not, as the state is yet to officially clarify whether retail of the produced liquor will be allowed.
The permission was accorded by the government following a representation from the Association of Liquor and Beer Suppliers of Telangana (ALBST). Members of the association stated that giving permission to production alone does not serve any purpose to them unless retail is also allowed. For now, all eyes are on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is scheduled to hold a cabinet meeting on May 5, when the decision will be taken.
Meanwhile, the ALBST association has requested that the state government permit retail stores for at least four to five hours a day. “Physical distancing has become a norm and people will maintain that. There will be manpower placed at all the retail stores as well by the store owners to ensure this. In addition, the Excise Department can also place a constable at the store to avoid any untoward incident in the first week, and ensure discipline,” told Kameshwara Rao from ALBST.
Alcohol sale is one of the major sources of revenue for the state government and with the stores being shut for more than a month, Telangana’s exchequer has suffered losses worth several crores.
