Liquor becomes topic of discussion in Council

Hyderabad, July 18 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Higher Education Minister D Srinivas and Leader of the Opposition Dadi Veerabhadra Rao (TDP) today engaged in an argument on whether liquor was an essential commodity .

Participating in a short discussion in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council on the steep rise in the price of essential commodities, Mr Rao said the Excise Minister was forcing the officials to increase the sale of liquor, hundredfold every year and they were expressing helplessness. It might happen some day that those who do not drink might be punished, he sarcastically remarked.

Mr Srinivas reminded the TDP member that it was his party which had imposed prohibition as an election promise and then lifted it.

For raising revenues, the TDP government gave licenses to every one who asked for it.

Mr Rao said the government should spend some money earned through such means to subsidise prices of essential commodities that were sky-rocketing.

UNI