BJP: Cong ‘hypocrite’, backed booze sale but opposes exam

NEW DELHI: Citing views of several Congress members who favoured sale of liquor amid lockdown, BJP on Saturday dubbed their opposition to holding of NEET and JEE exams as “hypocritical”, arguing that if queues for liquor were not dangerous and violative of Covid-19 restrictions, how will the entrance tests be so.
“The hypocrisy of states opposing NEET-JEE exams — liquor vs exams,” BJP media cell chief Amit Malviya said as he shared statements of Congress chief ministers seeking opening of liquor shops in the middle of the lockdown phase.
He cited how Punjab CM Amarinder Singh had in April argued that ‘if sale of fruits could be allowed, why not liquor?’ Besides Singh, CMs of Chhattisgarh (Bhupesh Baghel) and Rajssthan (Ashok Gehlot) all had supported the opening of liquor shops.
“Ashok Gehlot feels that the country is flooded with coronavirus cases and hence NEET/JEE exams should be postponed. Let us remind you that it was the same Gehlot govt in Rajasthan which was issued a notice by the high court over opening up of liquor shops and risking lives,” Malviya said.
Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat called the opposition to exams a conspiracy against students. “ ...will someone remind him (Rajasthan CM) how he had risked lives by keeping the state machinery in one hotel for almost two months,” he said.