Tension prevailed at Abkari Bhavan (Prohibition and Excise office) at Nampally on Saturday when BJP women activists were arrested for staging a dharna in protest against the proposed Cheap Liquor Policy of the Telangana government.
A large number of BJP women staged dharna in front of the Abkari Bhavan for over two hours demanding withdrawal of the new Excise Policy of the KCR government. The protestors raised anti-TRS government slogans like “KCR down down”. Over 500 Mahila Morcha activists were taken into custody and whisked them away to Goshamahal police ground.
Addressing the protestors, BJPLP leader in Telangana Assembly Dr K Lakshman said the TRS came to power by promising “ Bangaru Telangana”. But now, the TRS government wanted to introduce cheap liquor in every village on the pretext of curbing illicit brew “Gudamba” which would ruin lives of poor people, he alleged. “If the government failed to re-consider its new excise policy, it willhave to face consequences, he warned.
While the women protestors were staging dharna at Abkari Bhavan peacefully, the police personnel forcibly herded them into police vans and shifted them to Goshamahal police ground. In the melee, two women activists fell down and Geeta, general secretary of Medak BJP became unconscious. She was shifted to a hospital in 108.
BJP State vice-president Vijay Lakshmi, State Mahila Morcha president Padmaja Reddy, general secretaries Uma Rani, Chaaya Devi, party national executive members Aruna Jyothy, Narra Jayalakshmi, BJP Mahila city president Radhika and K Prasuna condemned the police action.
BJP state general secretary Chinta Samba Murthy, former MLA Baddam Bal Reddy, party treasurer Manohar Reddy and Dasari Mallesham also addressed the protestors. (NSS)