Wanaparthy: Telangana State Goud Geetha Workers’ Association president Raman Goud alleged that Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao was behind the decision for the shutdown of the Neera Café (Necklace Road, Hyderabad). During a press conference in Pebbair on Monday, he alleged that Jupally had directed Tourism Corporation MD Prakash Reddy to issue eviction orders.

He warned that any move to target the Goud community would face strong resistance. He highlighted that Rs 25 crore allocated in the state budget for toddy-tappers was used through the Toddy Corporation to set up Neera Café. The private firm Tenira Palm Product Development Society (TPDS), which initially bought Neera at Rs 160 per litre and sold it for Rs 300 per litre, later claimed losses to justify shutting down operations.

Meanwhile, the Goud and toddy tapper associations have launched protests, demanding that the café be handed over to the Toddy Corporation instead of being shut down. Raman also criticized the Congress government for failing to fulfil election promises for toddy-tappers. “Since the Congress came to power, 19 workers have fallen to their deaths, yet welfare schemes remain stalled,” he said. Despite promises to increase ex-gratia from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, compensation delays persist.