Oppn hold dharnas on liquor shops' auction

Hyderabad, Jun 16: Opposition parties, including the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Lok Satta today staged dharnas before all District Excise and Prohibition Offices asking the government to stop auction of liquor shops in the state.

TDP State Women's Wing President Roja and party workers were taken into preventive custody when they tried to barge into the premises of the State Excise and Prohibition Head Office at Nampalli after organising a rally.

The Opposition parties wanted the government to stop the auction process till the belt shops were closed in the villages.

Belt shops were being run by the licensed liquor shop owners in the villages without any official permission.

The state government, however, invited tenders to auction the liquor shops at mandal level last week. Bidders were selected after opening the sealed tenders in all district headquarters amid tight security this morning.

UNI