Government Bent On Destroying Toddy Tappers: BRS

Former BRS minister V Srinivas Goud today alleged that the Congress government, despite promising to protect caste-based professions, was now attempting to dismantle them.

Speaking to the media at Telangana Bhavan, Goud claimed that the government had failed to focus on or support any traditional caste profession.

Speaking specifically about toddy tappers, he accused the government of conspiring to ban the profession under pressure from the liquor mafia.

He said that the government had failed to fulfil its promises to the toddy-tapping community, such as allotting five acres of land to each member and providing Rs 10 lakh ex gratia to those who died or were injured after falling from palm trees.

He also alleged that the government was leaking information about a possible ban on the sale of toddy and the operation of toddy compounds within the Outer Ring Road limits - moves he said were intended to benefit liquor companies and distilleries.

The former minister said that even during the liquor prohibition period in undivided Andhra Pradesh under former Chief Minister N T Rama Rao, toddy and neera were not banned.

"Both toddy and neera have medicinal properties, yet neera has been handed over to private players. Why is the government failing to ban drugs and ganja in the State? Why is it not acting against adulterated milk? Permissions are being granted indiscriminately to pharma companies. Beers banned in other States are being sold in Telangana. Why is only toddy being targeted? If toddy compounds are shut down, the State will become unmanageable," he said.