Women protest liquor menace, demand closure of belt shops in Jogipet

Women voiced their grievances over the widespread presence of belt shops in and around Jogipet, blaming them for their families' financial woes. They shared that men in their households were spending their entire earnings on liquor, with some even pawning gold ornaments to fund their addiction. Divya, a housewife, highlighted the dire consequences, explaining how this behavior left them unable to pay their children's tuition fees or meet other essential needs. The women demanded immediate action to shut down the belt shops.

Sangareddy: Women led by Dalit organisations on Monday staged a protest before the Excise office in Jogipet demanding that officials close down all the belt shops.

The women said the belt shops opened everywhere in and around Jogipet. The women complained that men in their family were spending all their earnings on liquor. Divya, a housewife, said their husbands and fathers were pledging gold ornaments of women in the family to buy liquor. She further said that they could not pay the tuition fees of their children because the men were spending all the money to buy liquor.

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Dalit leader B Prasad alleged that the excise department was working under the influence of the liquor syndicate and helping them to run the belt shops.