Mahila Satta condemns AP's liquor policy

Hyderabad, Feb 25 (UNI) Mahila Satta, the women's wing of the Lok Satta Party, today organised demonstrations and sit-ins at Excise Department offices all over the state to protest against the Government's alleged policy of treating Excise as an ''akshaya patra'' for revenue.

The activists, who courted arrest, were taken to Abids police station here and subsequently released.

In a statement, Mahila Satta State Secretary D Saroja alleged that successive governments had already ruined the lives of 70 lakh families by 'promoting unbridled liquor consumption' through unauthorised outlets and turning a blind eye on illicit distillation of country liquor and 'gudumba'.

''If the government planned to get a revenue of Rs 11,000 crore by way of Excise and Sales Tax, people would be spending Rs 25,000 crore on purchase of liquor. People's expenditure on liquor far exceeds the amount the government spends on Rs two a kg rice scheme, INDIRAMMA houses, pensions and three per cent interest schemes-- all ostensibly meant to uplift the poor,'' she claimed.

''The Government is indulging in sheer hypocrisy, when it claims to work for the welfare of the poor through umpteen schemes even as it ruins their health and wealth by encouraging liquor consumption by upping sales targets ever year,'' Ms Saroja added.

She further said her party would resist belt shops auction, when they take place in the next few months.

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