PUDUCHERRY: The simmering differences between the BJP and the AINRC, partners in the ruling NDA, have surfaced once again with the saffron party opposing the liquor policy adopted by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who holds the excise portfolio.
In a statement, BJP Puducherry unit president V Saminathan urged the CM to withdraw the “fresh permits (in-principle approval) issued to five blending and bottling units of liquor (BBUs) for manufacturing India Made Foreign Liquor as well as the licences issued to over 250 liquor shops under tourism category,” saying these were against the well-being of residents.
Saminathan said the BBUs would be drawing groundwater, which will lead to serious repercussions on water table. The groundwater table had already been rendered saline in several areas of the UT, and the implementation of the policy would aggravate the situation in other areas too. Though the excise department had cited it as a means of revenue augmentation and employment generation, there are other ways of enhancing revenue.
Citing the AIADMK, another NDA ally opposing the liquor policy, Saminathan said the UT unit adhered to the BJP’s pan-India policy of opposing alcohol. This, he said, was also the stand of the 12 BJP and pro-BJP legislators part of the Puducherry coalition government. Puducherry residents were also against liquor shops and distilleries. As such, the CM should withdraw the permits and licences, he said.
Notably, the BJP, which has two ministers, chose to oppose the policy publicly instead of taking the matter up with the CM directly, that too some six months after the circular inviting applications was issued.
Saminathan, however, reasoned that NDA allies and the common people had been agitating against the policy and wanted to know his party’s stand on the subject.
He said former AIADMK MLA Vaiyapuri Manikandan and pro-BJP independent MLA M Sivasankar met him a few days ago and handed over a letter, asking Puducherry BJP to spell out its stand on the liquor policy and make it public. It was because of these developments that the BJP came out public with this appeal, Saminathan said, adding that they would also meet the CM.
Grievance against Centre
Incidentally, the BJP’s outburst comes close on the heels of CM N Rangasamy expressing grievance against the BJP-led Centre at a government function and sought more powers for his government.