Chandigarh: Restraunts owners protest against SC order on liquor ban

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], Apr. 3 (ANI): Hoteliers and restraunt owners in Chandigarh are protesting on Monday against the Supreme Court's order to ban liquor shops on highways. Manmohan Singh Kohli, the president of Chandigarh Hotelier and Restraunt Association, said that their protest is aimed at ensuring that the Supreme Court relooks into the matter. "Our protest is a very peaceful protest. Supreme Court is most honorable and cannot be seen in a light of sloganeering. Our protest is only to give a relook to this issue which has happened," he said. On Sunday evening, the owner and seller of restraunts, hotels and bars who serve liquors lit candles outside their premises in different sectors in Chandigarh to mark the protest against the banning of liquor on state and national highways. "We have hired the best lawyers. We are not protecting a murder, we are protecting the trade and industry which is legal, valid and we have put our best faith in our government to pay prices for such big pieces of land. Our association is just trying to safeguard the hard earned money our families, promoters and mainly of our employees," he added. The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on banning off liquor vends on state and national highways. Several states including Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, Haryana and various others had told the apex court that 500-metre distance is much higher and should be reduced. (ANI)