UP: Sakshi Maharaj questions sale of liquor and gutkha

LUCKNOW: BJP's Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj has questioned the state government's motive in allowing the sale of liquor and pan masala.
In a tweet, Sakshi Maharaj said that the lockdown was imposed to protect people's life. "Toh fir sharab, bidi, cigarette, gutkha, paan masala aaadi nasheele padarthon par chhoot kyon (Why relaxation has been given on liquor, cigarette, paan masala, etc)," he tweeted.

Sakshi's comment came two days after the state government allowed sale of liquor and subsequently raised its prices. The state government on Wednesday also allowed sale of paan masala.
While Sakshi could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts, BJP sources said the Unnao MP's views were taken seriously by the party's brass.
UP BJP spokesperson HC Srivastava said that the party has a democratic system, but that does not allow any senior parliamentarian to take a contrary view against the state government. "He (Sakshi Maharaj) is a senior MP and therefore should take adequate precautions while speaking out against his own party's government in public domain," he said.
Last year, Sakshi had raised the heckles of the BJP brass by meeting the rape accused party MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Sitapur jail and thanked him after getting elected in the Lok sabha elections. Sakshi had called Sengar a ''popular leader' in the area.