BJP floor leader in Assembly lashes out at liquor policy

Visakhapatnam: Floor leader of BJP and Visakhapatnam North MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju lashed out at the State government for its liquor policy. Expressing his anguish, the MLA said Ministers taking care of HRD, Endowments and Home departments have failed to apply their minds when the government was preparing the liquor policy-2017.

• Targets Ministers in-charge of HRD and Endowments Depts as some shops are located near schools and temples
• Wonders why the Home Dept remained silent when the policy was being framed
• Says the State govt concentrated only on revenue generation

They missed some key factors like location of liquor shops close to educational institutions, residential colonies where middle and lower middle class lived and the temples. Raju alleged that the government was concentrating more on revenue generation rather than the welfare of the people.

The BJP leader, who made severe comments and filed complaints on land grabbing in Visakhapatnam and earlier launched a fight against corruption, now focused on the location of wine shops following agitation by women at different parts of the city.

Targeting HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Endowments Minister Manikyala Rao, Raju said according to the guidelines, no wine shop or bar should be allowed within 100 metres of notified temples and registered schools.

"What is this non-sense? If, there is an unregistered temple and an unrecognised school, can wine shops and bars be set up next to the schools and temples? All this is happening because the HRD and Endowment Ministers are keeping mum when people are protesting.

Showcasing loop holes, the officials are permitting to set up wine shops close to the temples and schools. Now who will take the responsibility? Thousands of women are agitating, but none lending their ears,” Vishnu Kumar Raju told The Hans India.

The BJP MLA also targeted Home Department. The police have been alleging that majority of the accidents are being caused by drunken driving. Why the Home Ministry is silent and made no suggestions while framing the liquor policy, he questioned.

“The police are well aware of the snakes and their pits. But instead of catching snakes at the pit, why the police are harassing innocent persons by shoving alcometers in their mouths in busy traffic junctions? The officials must deploy their men at each wine shop and bar to check the boozers who are about to drive vehicles after consuming alcohol,” Vishnu Kumar Raju suggested.

He said women and children are suffering a lot because of the nuisance being created by the tipplers in the residential colonies. At least now the government should wake up and shutdown the wine shops and bars located close to the private and unregistered temples and mid of residential colonies, Raju demanded.

The MLA was responsible for cancelling licenses of two wine shops that were about to be opened in residential colonies in his constituency Visakhapatnam North in the city.