BJP wants to create shortage of liquor to run illegal trade: Sisodia

Targeting the BJP, Sisodia alleged they were running an illegal liquor business in Gujarat and they wanted to do it in Delhi also.

Liquor shops to be closed from August 1st following the government’s decision to withdraw the New Liquor Policy in New Delhi | Shekhar Yadav

NEW DELHI: With the government deciding to withdraw the new Excise Policy for the time being, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday directed that the sale of liquor is done only through government-run vends. The 468 private liquor shops operating in the city will be shut from August 1 as the term of their licences will expire on July 31. Targeting the BJP, Sisodia alleged they were running an illegal liquor business in Gujarat and they wanted to do it in Delhi also.

Sisodia, who also holds the excise portfolio, said in a press briefing that the Delhi chief secretary has been directed to ensure that liquor is now sold through government shops only. He alleged the BJP was using agencies such as the CBI and ED to threaten liquor licensees, many of whom have now shut shops, and the excise officials who were scared to start open auctions of retail licences.

Liquor shops to be closed from August 1st following the government’s decision to withdraw the New Liquor Policy in New Delhi | Shekhar Yadav

“They want to create a shortage of liquor so that they can run an illegal liquor trade in Delhi like they are doing in Gujarat. But we will not let this happen,” Sisodia said.He claimed that if the legal sale of liquor is stopped in Delhi then it may witness a “hooch tragedy” on lines of Gujarat.

Forty-two people from Botad and the neighbouring Ahmedabad died after consuming spurious liquor on July 25, while 97 people are admitted to hospitals in Bhavnagar, Botad and Ahmedabad.Addressing reporters at his residence, Sisodia said in the old excise policy there were many government liquor vends and there used to be “huge corruption” in such stores. But that was stopped with the new excise policy, the deputy chief minister said.

In the new excise policy, licences were issued through open tenders in a transparent manner, he said.
“Under the old regime, the government used to earn a revenue of `6,000 crore, while through the new policy the government was set to get `9,500 crore revenue in the entire year,” he said. Accusing the BJP of threatening licensees, Sisodia claimed out of 850 liquor shops, only 468 could open following “threats from the BJP”.