BRS demands cancellation of liquor licenses notification, warns of agitation

Former Minister V Srinivas Goud demanded cancellation of GO 93 and a fresh liquor shop notification with 25 per cent quota for the Goud community, accusing Congress of betraying its election promise. He also sought support for toddy tappers and BC communities

Hyderabad: Former Minister V Srinivas Goud demanded that the State government issue a fresh notification for liquor licenses, providing 25 per cent reservation in allocations to the Goud community as promised by the Congress during the Assembly elections. He asked the government to cancel the recent GO 93, which provides 15 per cent reservations, failing which they would obstruct the lottery process for allocation of liquor shops.

Speaking at Telangana Bhavan on Thursday, Srinivas Goud said the government issued the notification secretly for new liquor shops, without increasing the existing quota of 15 per cent to the Goud community.

---

“During BRS’s regime, we ensured 15 per cent reservation. The Congress promised 25 per cent, but has now gone back on its word,” he said. Various organisations of the Goud community are scheduled to convene a meeting on Saturday to finalise an action plan.

He also criticised the increase in liquor shop application fees from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, stating that it would further hurt backward communities. He demanded that liquor shops be allotted to toddy tappers’ societies and called for an end to raids on toddy shops in the name of curbing adulteration. He said BCs were being sidelined in the Congress government.

“Not a single promise made to the Goud community has been implemented. Even the ex gratia of Rs 12 crore for toddy tappers who died in accidents remains unpaid,” he charged. He accused the government of betraying the BCs despite election promises made by Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.

BRS leaders Palle Ravikumar Goud, K Kishore Goud, Nagender Goud and others were present.