This Andhra Minister Calls Beer A Health Drink!

In spite of the liquor ban and the numerous dry states in the country, it seems as though one man in the government is with the beer drinkers! The Excise Minister of Andhra Pradesh, KS Jawahar valiantly defended people’s right to a cold mug of beer, calling it a ‘health drink’!

According to the News Minute, after there were protests over the state’s new liquor policy, KS Jawahar told TV9 Telugu that the government would ‘promote beer as a healthy drink.”

The anchor immediately responded, asking the Minister how he can make such a statement, and how he would prove that. Immediately, the Minister responded saying, “Who said beer is not a health drink? I am ready to prove it. Come here, and I will prove it. How can I prove it through television?”

Apparently, he’s a man of his word as according to reports he later on sent a WhatsApp message to the channel on Tuesday morning, listing the “health benefits” of beer, in a note titled ’13 amazing benefits of beer’.

“The health benefits of beer include anti-cancer properties, a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, increased bone density (I’ve heard that before), prevention of dementia and coronary disease. It also aids the digestive system, treats diabetes and has anti-ageing properties,” the news agency quoted the note as saying.

After backlash, the Minister said that his comments were taken out of context. “I was reacting to a question on promoting liquor as part of the new excise policy. I said the government does not encourage liquor consumption, but tries to control it. Since it is practically impossible to prevent people from drinking, I said it would be better to encourage consumption of beer instead. Beer is a healthier option compared to other forms of liquor because it contains very less alcohol,” the Minister told Hindustan Times.