Former Telangana Minister Srinivas Goud slams privatisation ofHyderabad-based Neera Cafe, warns of protest

Accuses government of undermining the self-respect of the Goud community by leasing out the facility to a private individual

Hyderabad: Former Minister V Srinivas Goud has raised serious concerns over the alleged privatisation of the Neera Cafe on Necklace Road, warning of strong protests if the decision was not reversed within a week.

During his visit to the cafe on Sunday, he accused the government of undermining the self-respect of the Goud community by leasing out the facility to a private individual.

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He said the cafe, originally set up under the BRS government to revive the Neera industry and support the community, had been altered beyond recognition.

The former Minister stated that the Neera policy, introduced with a Rs 20-crore investment through the Telangana BC Corporation, was designed to grant exclusive rights to the Goud community to operate Neera cafes, besides providing them reservation in liquor shops allotment. He criticised the removal of infrastructure installed under the previous regime and likened the transformation of the cafe to a regular street food joint.

Demanding immediate cancellation of the privatisation, he warned of a mass agitation, including laying siege to the Assembly and Secretariat. He also charged the government of under-reporting the BC population and failing to honour promises, such as renaming Jangaon district after Sarvai Papanna.