Mysuru: Urging for fulfilment of various demands, the liquor merchants will be staging a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Oct. 27, said Guruswamy, President of Mysuru-Chamarajanagar District Liquor Merchants Association.

He was addressing media persons at the premises of the Association, at Kuvempunagar in the city recently.

Earlier, liquor merchants were earning a profit of 20 percent, which has been reduced to 10 percent by the Government. The Government should hike the profit to at least 15 percent. We contribute to the Government with highest revenue, but our demands are being neglected, he said.

“We have been trying to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the last three months to explain about our grievances, but permission is not being given. The Government and the officials are not responding to issues being faced by the fraternity,” he said.

The harassment of liquor merchants by the officials should be stopped. The new rules laid down for issuing license under CL7 category should be curtailed. We will holding a State-wide tour to organise the bar owners in this regard. Prior to this, a Divisional-level meeting of liquor merchants is being organised in the city on Oct. 25, said Guruswamy.

Vice-Presidents of Mysuru-Chamarajanagar District Liquor Merchants Association Paramesh and Bhaskar Gowda, Secretary R. Lakshman and others were present.