B. Janardhan Poojary, Congress leader and former Union Minister, said on Saturday that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should give up the idea of either withdrawing the ban on arrack or increasing the number of liquor vending licenses in the State.
Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Poojary said that the Congress party had not given any assurance in its manifesto during the Assembly elections two years ago that it would withdraw the ban. This matter had not been discussed on the party fora or the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee either.
Arrack was banned in the State some years ago because it created financial problems to the families and women had to suffer a lot when men became alcoholic. “By withdrawing the ban, we will invite the curse of womenfolk. Hence the State government should not withdraw the ban,” he said.
ProbeMr. Poojary said that Mr. Siddaramaiah had done the correct thing by handing over the mysterious death of the IAS officer D.K. Ravi to the CBI, though belatedly.
