Karnataka

AIDYO opposes new wine policy

DAVANGERE: The All India Democratic Youth Organisation (AIDYO) has strongly opposed the State’s new wine policy, and it has ridiculed the Government’s stand that wine has no alcohol content.

Speaking to presspersons here on Tuesday, T.V.S. Raju, Suma V. Mathad and Deepa, office-bearers of the AIDYO, said that wine had over 24 per cent alcohol content and the Government was misleading people by saying that it had no alcohol content and was good for health.

Quoting a survey, they said that 80 per cent of incidents of wife-beating were due to consumption of alcohol and drunk drivers were responsible for 45 per cent of road accidents in the country.

Ms. Mathad said that it had been proved that wine had 24 per cent alcohol content and she wondered why the Government was encouraging people to become alcoholics in the garb of encouraging grape growers.

She said that if the Government was concerned about the grape growers in the State it should give them financial support and subsidy for fertilizers.

The Government wanted to sell the wine in horticultural outlets and it had decided to remove wine from the purview of the Excise Department and bring it under the Horticulture Department, Mr. Raju said, adding that it was an ill-conceived idea.

He demanded that the Government withdraw the new wine policy immediately in the best interests of society.

The AIDYO would enlighten people about the wine policy and involve them in the campaign against it.

The AIDYO had decided to launch an intensive agitation if the Government failed to withdraw its new wine policy within a week, he added.

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