Delhi Congress will “forcefully” oppose the new liquor policy as it will not only ruin the health of the youth but create law and order situation in the national Capital, former president of the Delhi Congress and former speaker of the Delhi Assembly, Subhash Chopra said on Saturday.
Expressing “shock” over the decision, Chopra said that around 850 new liquor outlets have been opened across the city, including at non-conforming areas. “How could the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, being the chairman of the Delhi Development Authority, allowed opening of liquor outlets at non-conforming areas, even without seeking the opinions of local residents, Gram Sabhas and social and religious organizations,” he asked.
Addressing the media, Chopra said that liquor shops have been allowed to open without following mandatory distance from places of worship and educational institutions, and at some places, shops have been opened side-by-side so that more and more youth could be attracted to liquor addiction, to further vitiate the already disturbed law and order situation in the Capital.
"The Chief Minister who kept criticising the liquor policy of the Congress Government before coming to power, has now flouted all norms to liberalize the excise policy," he said.
The Congress leader further said that the closure of government operated liquor vends will render nearly 3,000 employees jobless. “It is shocking to learn that vending licenses have been issued to companies who have been defaulters of excise duty to the government. Two companies related to the Balaji group, controlled by a politician from Andhra Pradesh, have been allotted three zones (Zone 4, 23 and 32), and another successful bidder, Khao Gali Restaurants Pvt. Ltd, have been allotted Zones 2 and 3, though they have been black-listed in Delhi,” he alleged.
Elaborating about the issue, he said that the some group of Madhya Pradesh, which has been black-listed in the State over non-payment of excise dues, is also in the list of another beneficiary.
He said that there is discrepancy in the deposit of earnest money, as there seems to have taken place huge corruption in the allotment of liquor vending zones, as the policy will be destructive in many ways.
Chopra said that the AAP Government seems to have learnt no lessons from the past experience as no new ICU oxygen bed has been added in Delhi hospitals, and the construction work of the three new hospitals started by the Congress Government at Ambedkar Nagar, Burari and Dwarka, is still dragging on.
