BJP holds protests against Delhi govt’s new liquor policy

The Delhi BJP unit demanded a rollback of the policy and alleged that the Aam Admi Party (AAP) government has allowed liquor shops in non-conforming areas, with some coming up in the close vicinity of schools and places of worship.

Long traffic jams were seen in several areas, including ITO, Laxmi Nagar, Akshardham, Signature Bridge, Karol Bagh. At Laxmi Nagar, leaders stopped traffic and deflated the tyres of buses.

Delhi BJP leaders have been protesting against the policy, which saw the exit of the government from the business of selling liquor, a redistribution of liquor stores across the city, and upfront collection of excise revenue.

The protest near the Akshardham temple was led by Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta.

BJP state general secretary Harsh Malhotra said that the party organised ‘chakka jam’ at 15 locations across the city in protest. He said everyone in Delhi is concerned about liquor shops coming up close to their houses. “While the CM (Arvind Kejriwal) talks about prohibition in Punjab he is adamant on making Delhi a city of liquor. We will not sit back quietly,” he said.

Delhi BJP has been protesting against several liquor shops that have opened at new locations since mid-November after the redistribution.

While earlier, stores were distributed unequally – some wards had none while the others had 9-10 – now each ward will have an average of three stores. The unequal distribution, the Delhi government said, had led to the growth of liquor mafia in unserviced areas. Overall, the total number of liquor stores in the city has remained at 849.

Reacting to BJP’s ‘chakka jam’, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged that the protests were happening because BJP leaders were profiting from the illegal sale of alcohol in the city till the new policy came into existence.

दिल्ली में बीजेपी वाले नई आबकारी नीति से बौखलाए हुए हैं क्योंकि @ArvindKejriwal जी ने दिल्ली में ₹3500करोड़ की चोरी रोक दी. यह पैसा अब जनता के काम के लिए सरकार को मिल रहा है पहले यह पैसा बीजेपी नेताओं और शराब माफिया की जेब में जाता था.

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) January 3, 2022

“BJP members in Delhi are troubled by the new excise policy because Arvind Kejriwal ji has stopped the theft of Rs 3,500 crore. This money will now be used by the government for the people of Delhi. Earlier, this money would line the pockets of the liquor mafia and BJP leaders,” he said.