Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswamy clarifies on licenses to open bars, says no liquor promotion

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has issued clarification about licenses to open bars in the state following reports of state government's contemplation in the issue. Chief Minister Kumaraswamy has rubbished it and said that this is just a rumour spread by media.

He took to Twitter to clarify his stand on licenses to new liquor shops and said that the news is fake. When I was the Chief Minister in 2006, I had banned lottery and country liquor in the state. So, how can one even come to a conclusion that I will give direction to open new liquor shops, he questioned.

ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಸೂಚನೆಯ ಮೇರೆಗೆ ಮದ್ಯದಂಗಡಿಗಳನ್ನು ಹೊಸದಾಗಿ ತೆರೆಯಲು ಪರವಾನಗಿ ನೀಡಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಕೆಲವು ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿರುವ ವಿಷಯ ಸತ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ದೂರವಾದುದು. ಹಿಂದೆ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದಾಗ ಸಾರಾಯಿ ಮತ್ತು ಲಾಟರಿ ನಿಷೇಧ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದೆ. ಹೀಗಿರುವಾಗ ನಾನು ಇಂಥ ಸೂಚನೆ ನೀಡಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯವೇ ಎಂದು ಅವರು ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದರು.

— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) September 26, 2018

Earlier, reports stated that according to the growth in population, licenses will be issued to liquor shops and that at least 1,000 bars will come up soon.

But refuting the reports, HDK also clarified that he has not given any direction to the excise commissioner to conduct survey.

Chief Minister Kumaraswamy elaborated on the same during the review meeting held at Mandya, Karnataka. On the same occasion, he also launched 20 new buses in the presence of Mandya district In-charge minister CS Puttaraju, transport minister DC Thammanna, public works department minister HD Revanna.

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• CM Kumaraswamy
• liquor shops
• bars in Karnataka
• liquor license
• Karnataka
• Bengaluru
• lottery