Hyderabad
Former Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA T. Harish Rao has launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, alleging that his administration is pursuing a revenue strategy heavily reliant on liquor sales, directly at the expense of public welfare.
In a recent statement, Mr. Rao claimed that instead of delivering promised relief to the populace, the current government is actively making alcohol more accessible and expensive for more people. He specifically highlighted the steep increase in the application fee for liquor shop licenses, jumping from ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh. This, along with what he described as an arbitrary hike in liquor prices, clearly demonstrates the government’s intention to significantly boost excise revenue.
Rao further accused the Congress party of failing to uphold its pre-election pledge to eliminate ‘belt shops’ (unauthorized liquor outlets), asserting that liquor has now proliferated into every village. He also alleged that the Chief Minister is exerting pressure on officials to meet ambitious liquor sales targets.
Additionally, Mr. Rao claimed that the government is actively promoting the establishment of microbreweries across various towns, effectively transforming Telangana into a ‘state of drinkers.’ He also criticized the administration for allegedly misleading the Gowda community by announcing a 25% reservation in wine shops, pointing out that they have reportedly failed to implement even the previous 15% quota established during K. Chandrashekar Rao’s government.