Liquor will not be available on November 20, bars will also remain closed; liquor sellers announce decision

BENGALURU: Liquor sellers in Karnataka have announced that there will be no sale of liquor in the state on November 20 (Wednesday). The decision was taken by the Federation of Wine Merchants Association. It has been decided that the bars will not be opened on that day. The decision was taken in protest against the state government's indifference to the demands of liquor traders. B Govindaraj Hegde, secretary of the association, said the Karnataka government will incur a loss of Rs 120 crore due to the strike.

The liquor sellers are fed up with the bribery of excise officials. According to the office-bearers of the association, the sale of spurious liquor has also increased in the state due to the bribery of officials. Hegde said chief minister Siddaramaiah should convene a meeting of excise and police departments to resolve the issues in the excise department and meet their demands. The association also demanded that the excise department be merged with the finance department.

There were reports of a Rs 700-crore scam in the excise department in Karnataka. However, the liquor traders said that the association had no role in the allegations coming to light. According to traders, an RTI activist has written a letter to the Governor in this regard. The traders are demanding that strict legal action be taken to control the sale of illegal liquor and section 29 of the Abkari Act, which was amended in 2005, should be re-examined and amended.