Reportedly the karnataka Wine Merchants’ Association is an upset lot. This follows prime minister Narendra Modi’s remarks at an election rally in Akola, maharashtra, where he accused the congress of collecting up to Rs 700 crore from liquor shop owners in karnataka and funneling it to election-bound states like maharashtra and Jharkhand. “We only appealed to the government to address our issues, including our request to bring the excise department under the finance ministry and concerns with the current excise minister. Where is the question of us giving money or funding elections? This is wrong and preposterous," said Govindraj Hegde, secretary of the karnataka Wine Merchants’ Association.
Meanwhile Hegde added that liquor merchants make only a 10 per cent profit and have been seeking at least a 20 per cent margin to help generate revenue for the state. He called it “unfair" for their grievance to be used as a political pitch. PM Modi had accused Congress-ruled states like Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, and karnataka of acting as “ATMs" for the party’s “royal family," adding that in the name of elections, congress has doubled its “vasooli" in karnataka and Telangana.
Moreover in response, karnataka Chief minister Siddaramaiah said he would “quit politics" if the prime minister could prove that the karnataka congress was involved in an excise department scam where Rs 700 crore was allegedly mobilised and sent to maharashtra and Jharkhand. The association has announced a state-wide protest on november 20 against the corrupt practices and plans to close all liquor outlets across the state.
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