When Telugu Desam Party president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu was in power in Andhra Pradesh, liquor used to flow like water in the state.
It was available in every nook and corner of the state both in authorised liquor outlets and also in unauthorised liquor shops, better known as belt shops.
So, as a matter of policy, Naidu should not have any objection to running of liquor shops, which is one of the major sources of revenue for the state.
Though the present Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is firm on implementing prohibition in the state in a phased manner, he had no option to reopen the liquor outlets due to relaxation of lockdown norms in the present Coronavirus situation, because his government also needs money to run the show.
Surprisingly, Naidu has chosen to criticise the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for reopening liquor shops, saying the government has abdicated its responsibility in a critical time of Coronavirus epidemic threat.
While sale of liquor could be the major source of revenue for the state during Naidu’s regime, the same person now says Jagan, out of sheer selfishness, hastily reopened liquor outlets and arbitrarily hiked prices.
One wonders whether Naidu’s objection is for reopening of liquor shops or increasing of liquor prices. If he wants to criticise the government, he should have talked about the failure of the police in controlling the crowds at the liquor shops and make them maintain social distance.
He also slammed the government for lacking sincerity in strictly implementing the zoning restrictions as a result of which people from red zones thronged liquor outlets in green zones posing the risk of spreading virus there.
The TDP chief also pointed out at the sale of cheap brands of liquor at the retail outlets. He said poor people were falling sick because of drinking these cheap brands which would become clearer if a health survey was taken out all over the state.
Naidu also sought to appease womenfolk, saying Jagan did not care to listen to the cries of poor women who were now suffering domestic harassment from their fathers and husbands who were taking away all money to buy liquor.
Does it mean there was no domestic harassment by liquor-addicts during the TDP regime?
Well, that is called hypocrisy!