Congress owes explanation to people on Som Distilleries episode: Krishank

Som Distilleries was responsible for many deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, courtesy the spurious liquor sourced from the company.

Hyderabad: Demanding a probe into the dark side of the deal the State sought to enter into with Som Distilleries, BRS leader Manne Krishank on Tuesday said the Congress government owed an explanation to the people on the way the controversial liquor company was entertained before the permission accorded to it was cancelled in the wake of stiff opposition.

Addressing a news conference at Telangana Bhavan, he wanted to know from Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao whether he was responsible for the permission given to Som Distilleries or was it Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. Som Distilleries had been funding the Congress for long and it had donated over Rs.2 crore from 2019 to 2020 and senior AICC leader Digvijay Singh had openly admitted the patronage the party had received from the company on multiple occasions.

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Som Distilleries was responsible for many deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, courtesy the spurious liquor sourced from the company. The BRS government did not entertain such fraud companies during the last 10 years. Now that the Congress Ministers were going all out raising funds for the party and for themselves, they had opened doors for such companies even though it mattered risking the lives of the people. The government should make it clear whether the cancellation of permits for Som Distilleries was temporary or permanent. The BRS would welcome the cancellation of permission given to some distilleries to sell liquor in the State. But there should be an inquiry as to why the permissions were given in the first place, he said.

When cases were filed against leaders who had nothing to do with the Delhi Liquor Policy, why were no cases filed so far in case of Som Distilleries, he asked, stating that there should be a serious investigation into the corruption charges against Congress Ministers and leaders. Highlighting the contradictory stances of the Chief Minister and the Excise Minister on the issue, he said while Revanth Reddy claimed an increase in excise revenue, the Minister was denying it.