Hyderabad, Dec 5 (IANS) Alleging that indiscriminate sale of liquor in Telangana is the main reason for growing crime against women, a woman leader of opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday announced she will undertake two-day fast demanding prohibition in the state.
D.K. Aruna said she would observe fast on December 11 and 12 to press the demand for prohibition.
The former minister said such a step was necessary to check the increasing number of crimes against women in the state.
Following the recent gruesome gang-rape and murder of a woman veterinarian in Hyderabad, both BJP and Congress have targeted the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government for unrestrained sale of liquor in the state.
The women wings of both the parties staged protests, demanding the government to impose prohibition. They alleged that easy availability of liquor is leading to rapes and other crimes against women.
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) at its meeting on Thursday decided to make a representation to the state governor on indiscriminate sale of liquor.
CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka alleged the TRS government views liquor only as the source of revenue and it was not bothered about the problems created by it in the society.
The Congress leader claimed that every village has 4 to 5 belt shops or illegal outlets of licensed liquor shops.
Women’s groups and activists have also called for a check on the sale of liquor in the state. They alleged that several liquor shops had come up on the outskirts of Hyderabad along Outer Ring Road (ORR), leading to an increase in the activities of anti-social elements.
The woman veterinarian was gang-raped and killed near ORR in Shamshabad on November 27. According to police, four truck drivers and cleaners committed the horrific crime after consuming liquor. They also allegedly poured liquor into the victim’s mouth.
The accused later burnt the victim’s body near Shadnagar town, about 50 km from Hyderabad.
–IANS
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