Date:02/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/02/stories/2007030207080500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Anti-liquor forum begins post-card drive

Special Correspondent

Flays Government for not banning `belt shops', a pre-poll promise

HYDERABAD: Speakers at a meeting of the United Forum Against Liquor on Thursday lashed out at the Congress Government for going back on its pre-poll promise of doing away with `belt shops' in rural areas.

Demands included banning of belt shops, giving up the view that sale of liquor was a source of revenue and also implementing the 12-point agenda advocated by late Indira Gandhi against liquor. The meeting marked the launch of a fortnight-long postcard campaign addressed to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court A. Lakshman Rao launched the campaign by writing out a card personally, listing out the three demands.

One lakh shops

Presiding over the meeting, forum's State coordinator V. Lakshman Reddy said it was surprising that the Chief Minister feigned ignorance about the existence of belt shops when a delegation met him recently. "There are about one lakh such shops, at the rate of two or more in every village", he said, adding that the forum was ready to escort Dr. Reddy and testify to the existence of such shops in any village of his choice.

Among those who addressed the gathering and wrote postcards were Katragadda Prasuna (TDP), T. Vijayalakshmi (BJP) and others.