Karnataka Assembly | Senior MLA wants 2 free liquor bottles for men every week, Congress says 'win polls and do it'

'Give two bottles a week to men, What's wrong in it? The government can provide this through societies', JD(S) lawmaker MT Krishnappa said.

Bengaluru: A sober discussion around high excise revenue targets brewed a few ideas, some bitter in taste, at the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

One senior lawmaker said drinking men should get two bottles of liquor free every week while another called for total prohibition.

In his 2025-26 Budget, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has hiked the excise revenue target to Rs 40,000 crore, up from Rs 36,500 the government hopes to collect at the end of the current fiscal.

“In just one year, the government hiked (excise) taxes thrice. This is hitting the poor. The excise target of Rs 40,000 crore...how will this be achieved without hiking taxes again?” senior JD(S) lawmaker MT Krishnappa, who represents Turuvekere, said.

“We can’t stop people from drinking, especially the labour class," Krishnappa said. "At their cost, you’re giving Rs 2,000 per month to women, free electricity and free bus travel. That's our money anyway. So, to those who drink, give them two bottles of liquor free every week. Let them drink. How can we give them (men) money every month?” he said.

“Give something for men...two bottles a week. What's wrong? The government can provide this through societies,” Krishnappa suggested, leaving the Assembly amused.

Replying on behalf of the government, Energy Minister K J George said: “Win the election, form the government and do this. We’re trying to make people drink less.”

At the other end of this spectrum was senior Congress lawmaker BR Patil, who batted for prohibition.

“This excise revenue...it’s sin money. It's the blood sucked out of the poor. This money can’t build the nation,” Patil, the Aland MLA said, urging the union government to decide on prohibition at a national-level. “Mahatma Gandhi once said that if he were a dictator for two hours, he’d first prohibit liquor,” he added.

Earlier, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Arvind Bellad expressed concerns that Karnataka's dependence on excise revenue was rising.

"Women get Rs 2,000 a month under the Gruha Lakshmi whose outlay is Rs 28,608 crore. From women, we're recovering Rs 36,000 crore in the form of excise revenue," Bellad, the BJP's Hubli-Dharwad (West) MLA, said. "Should the state be so dependent on liquor? If this continues, where do we go? States like Bihar run without any excise revenue. Excise accounts for just 0.1 per cent of Gujarat's revenue," he argued.

Countering this, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge said the previous BJP government also had an excise target of Rs 35,000 crore.

"You'd have moral rights to speak about this had you agitated for prohibition. Move a resolution seeking prohibition now. Who's stopping you?" he said.

"You can't use principles of Gandhi as well as those of RSS at whim."