India News | BJP Stages Protest at Rajghat Against Delhi Govt's New Excise Policy

New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) Leaders of Delhi BJP on Friday held a protest at Rajghat here against the new excise policy of the Arvind Kejriwal-led government and demanded a CBI probe into it.

Under its new excise policy, the Delhi government has moved out of retail liquor business paving the way for opening of 849 vends across the city. The BJP has been opposing these liquor vends alleging that they violate rules.

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No reaction was immediately available from the Delhi government or the ruling AAP over charges of BJP leaders.

It is the resolve of BJP to not allow opening of any new liquor shops and in coming days, 15 lakh signatures will be collected from youth, women, religious heads and others against this policy and handed over to President Ram Nath Kovind, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said.

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The protesters prayed at Rajghat, which is Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, for "wisdom to prevail over the Kejriwal government" to withdraw its excise policy.

"Kejriwal has now become a liquor baron. He is pushing entire Delhi towards alcoholism. He talked of surplus budget in assembly several times but what happened to that and why he wants Delhiites to be drinking liquor?" he said.

Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri demanded a CBI probe into this saying it involved a "scam".

"Most of these shops have been opened in clear violation of master plan and also it is in violation of Supreme Court's order," he claimed.

The head of a khap panchayat Surender Solanki said if Kejriwal government did not withdraw the policy, the whole panchayat of 360 villages and its people will sit on dharna at the Chief Minister's residence, as per a Delhi BJP statement.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)