Over 100 Swaraj India supporters gathered outside a shopping mall in east Delhi to protest against liquor vends functioning inside and accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of flouting excise rules in allocating licences for these businesses.
Swaraj India’s Delhi State president Anupam led party workers in the protest against liquor vends holding L-10 licences, which open towards Cross River Mall in Shahdara. He said the AAP came to power to make Delhi liquor-free but had been violating excise rules.
Rules for shops
“The Delhi government is illegally distributing L-10 licences to enable licensees to open vends in shopping malls. Rules for shops within a mall clearly say that all such shops should have entrance only within the building and cannot have entrances or exits towards the mall’s exterior,” Mr. Anupam said.
The party said the definition of shops operating from within a mall is clearly stated in the law and the rule mandates that all shops operating from within a mall should have their entrance inside the building only.
Approved map
Mr. Anupam said these liquor shops had been set up against the approved map of the said mall. “Every week, Delhi excise officials are supposed to inspect liquor vends in the city, but not a single objection has been raised or action taken against these vends that are blatantly violating rules.”
“The shopping mall has been turned into a liquor den, leaving people living in nearby residential areas helpless. Neither the Delhi government nor the area MP or MLA or councillor has opposed these illegally operating liquor vends. It is surprising to see such a harmonious relation between the AAP and opposition BJP in promoting liquor trade in Delhi,” he said.