States pressured Centre to open wine shops?

In just two days, India has made liquor sales of Rs 1,000 crore say traders and in the coming days, the sales will certainly go up due to summer season. But there is a wide criticism on opening wine shops even when the Corona virus threat is very severe in seven states across the country.

Yesterday YSRCP MLA Ambati Rambabu criticizing TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, said it was the Centre which permitted the states to open wine stores and states have no role to play. Ambati also questioned whether Chandrababu has courage to ask the Centre about this decision.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP GVL Narasimha Rao has countered Ambati’s statements and added that many states in the country have pressured the union government to open the wines. “Reluctantly, the Centre gave nod to open wines and it is unfortunate to throw the blame on Centre. The liquor sales revenue will go to the states not to the Centre and did the Centre asked to hike the tax on liquor,” questioned GVL.

The BJP leader added both TDP and YSRCP are doing opportunistic politics on opening wine shops. It was Chandrababu who increased the liquor sales in the state. In 2003, the revenue on liquor sales was Rs 3,000 crore and today it is Rs 6,000 crore and Chandrababu is responsible for this.