‘Drama to divert public attention’: Delhi BJP slams Arvind Kejriwal on liquor scam

Delhi BJP accused AAP government of staying silent in liquor scam and trying to divert public attention

Representational Image: ANI

New Delhi: The Delhi BJP on Saturday accused the AAP government of being silent on the alleged liquor scam and trying to divert public attention. No immediate reaction was available from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the allegations. Addressing a press conference, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta claimed the Arvind Kejriwal government is not answering the questions asked by the BJP and the people and is indulging in all kinds of "drama" to divert attention from the scam in Excise Policy 2021-22.

"The recent special session of Delhi Assembly was nothing but an attempt by the AAP government to divert the attention of people from the liquor scam. Not a single issue concerning people was discussed in the five day-session,” he alleged.

The Excise Policy 2021-22 was withdrawn by the city government in July following a CBI probe recommended by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, who also holds the excise portfolio, have asserted that there was no scam in the policy.

Sisodia, an accused in an FIR registered by the CBI in the matter, has also claimed that he was given a clean chit by the probe agency. Gupta said both Kejriwal and Sisodia have not clarified the reasons behind the withdrawal of the excise policy. He said the dispensation has also maintained silence on why its revenue decreased under the Excise Policy 2021-22.

"Under the old excise policy, the city's liquor sale was 132 lakh litres per month and the government's revenue was Rs 5,068 crore. In the Excise Policy 2021-22, the monthly liquor sale doubled to around 245 lakh litres, but the revenue fell to Rs 4,465 crore," he claimed citing a RTI reply.