Bengaluru, May 4: Booze lovers ushered in the resumption of liquor sales in a spirited fashion in Karnataka onMonday thronging stores hours before shutters went up at severalplaces and made no secret of their celebratory mood.
At some places, they flocked liquor shops even before day-break and performed "special prayers" with flowers, coconuts,incense sticks, camphor and crackers in front of the stores.
Liquor outlets had been shut in the State from March 25 following the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Excise revenue loss during the period was about Rs 2,500 crore, according to government sources.
About 4,500 standalone liquor outlets (CL-2 and CL- 11licence holders), which comprise wine stores and those owned bystate-run Mysore Sales International Limited, outside containmentzones were allowed to be opened from Monday from 9 am to 7 pm withsome restrictions.
Free Games on Deccan Chronicle. No Installing, No Charges. Stay Home Stay Safe. Click the Banner to play Now.
These include customers compulsorily wearing of facemasks andmaintaining social distancing with not more than five people inside liquor shops.
Many customers were indeed well-prepared.
At many places, they came with umbrella, raincoat, newspapers and books and queued up as early as 3 am.
At a liquor shop in Salegame Road in Hassan, the tipplers lit the traditional lamp and incense sticks, performed 'aarati'with camphor and decorated the store with the garland of flowers.
With folded hands, they all performed 'special prayers'.
In Mandya, the tipplers queued up before Martaanda liquor shop before dawn.
An hour before the sales were to resume, a few people burst crackers in celebration.
Some tipplers in Belagavi were more "enterprising."
They wentto a liquor store on Sunday night itself, performed special prayersand placed their "representatives" in the form of slippers, bags and stones in the "social distancing boxes" they themselves had drawn sothat they don't have to stand in queue in the morning.
An elderly woman Dakamma was the centre of attraction in Shivamogga.
The bent body did not bend the determination of this spirited lady, claimed to be 96-year-old, who was heard saying "liquor is goodfor health."
At the taluk headquarters town of Brahmavara in the coastal Udupi district, the queue of the booze lovers was reported to be almost half-a-kilometre.
Long queues were seen at liquor stores at Mariyappana Palya and K R Puram, among others, in Bengaluru.
The store managers too were no less cautious while dealing with customers in the COVID era.
They let the customers enter after spraying sanitisers in their hands, and allowed only those who hadworn masks and maintained social distancing.
To maintain law and order, authorities had deployed policemen in good numbers at these stores and they were seen on duty ensuring that customers maintained social distancing.
Comments
I cant comment on this issue coz its thier own will and wish. I wish they should have used this gather to teach brotherhood / respect to every indian citizen / non voilence and love. Organisers should preach good things to youngsters without getting influenced from any political or communal party. Also, they should not force any one to sing Vande mataram as this is not compulsoryu as per our constitution. Jana gana mana is our national anthem and not vande mataram. No objection in singing vande mataram by anyone, but dont force others. Show your patriotim by loving and respecting all indians and religions. This is fundamental right of every citizen based on constitution.
Na TASYA Pratima ASTI... (There is no image of God) Those who support this, should understand that U are worshiping the motherland. There is no image of God and U make the motherland as God and make a mock out of God... We respect the motherland but we will never worship it as a God... God is the creator of the motherland ... Bow only to the CREATOR of all that exists including the motherland.
It will be very nice to see the big group singing Vande Maatharam..good luck to the organizers
Congrats to all the participants
People can not forcefully to make a follower or believer. Should inspire them, than they will do themselves. Thanks to the team who worked behind this wonderful programme
Indtead of imposing nationalism through film theatres, do something like this. Many people will participate volunterly and it may help to inspire many
Good one. congrats entire team
Add new comment