Singer Sona Mohapatra was visibly irked with filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma with his latest tweet after the filmmaker suggested that women buying liquor should not complain about domestic violence. Many celebrities and political personalities have criticised the government’s decision to reopen liquor shops, citing the already rising cases of domestic violence in the country. 

Ram Gopal Verma, on Monday, shared a photo of women lining up for alcohol in queues and wrote, "Look who’s in line at the wine shops ..So much for protecting women against drunk men." To his tweet, Sona replied saying, "Dear Mr RGV, time for u to get into the line of people who desperately need a real education.1 that lets u understand why this tweet of yours reeks of sexism & misplaced morality. Women have a right to buy & consume alcohol just like men. No one has the right to be drunk & violent."

In the past, Javed Akhtar and Malaika Arora have both advised against reopening liquor shops. "Opening liquor shops during the lockdown will only bring disastrous results. In any case according to all the surveys nowadays domestic Violence has increased to a large extent .liquor will make these days even more dangerous for women and children," Javed wrote in a tweet. 

In the third phase of the lockdown starting May 4, sale of liquor, paan, tobacco is to be allowed after ensuring minimum six-feet social distancing; not over 5 persons at one time at the shop. However, the consumption of liquor, paan, gutka, tobacco, etc., is not allowed in public places during the lockdown.