Quit rhetoric, answer our questions: BJP to AAP

Union minister of state for external affairs, Meenakshi Lekhi welcomed lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena’s decision for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged procedural lapses intended to benefit liquor companies, and accused the Delhi government of allowing liquor companies to form cartels during the bidding process for vends.

Union minister of state for external affairs, Meenakshi Lekhi, on Friday slammed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, and said that he should answer the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s questions regarding alleged violations and waivers given to select liquor firms under the Capital’s new excise policy.

During her press briefing, Lekhi raised six questions that she said the AAP needed to answer. ((BJP/ Twittter) )

Lekhi welcomed lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena’s decision for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged procedural lapses intended to benefit liquor companies, and accused the Delhi government of allowing liquor companies to form cartels during the bidding process for vends.

Addressing a joint press conference along with Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta and leader of the Opposition in Delhi assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Lekhi said that the government, just last week, gave liquor companies a ₹144.36 crore exemption on licence fee without an approval from the Cabinet.

The Aam Aadmi Party categorically denied all charges, and described the Centre’s move as a political ploy.

During her press briefing, Lekhi raised six questions that she said the AAP needed to answer.

“On July 14, companies that are part of the liquor cartel were given a ₹144.36 crore exemption on licence fee--without a Cabinet note or approval from an authorised agency, or a notice to the L-G,” Lekhi alleged. “Why was this done?”

The New Delhi MP also asked for the outcome of a show-cause notice issued by the government’s excise department to liquor companies last year. Displaying a copy of the notice, Lekhi said, “On October 25, 2021, the excise department issued a notice to the companies that were part of the cartelisation process during the tendering. What is the status of the investigation? What action was taken against the companies?”

She also alleged a blacklisted company was allowed to participate in the tendering process and was also allocated two zones.

“There is a blacklisted company called Khao Gali. How was this blacklisted company allowed to participate in the tendering process? And two zones have been allocated to this company,” Lekhi said. “Cartelisation is prohibited during the tendering process, but Khao Gali, Magunta and Indospirit formed a cartel and won bids. Whose money is behind these companies?”

Indospirit did not respond to requests for comment.

Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, the sitting Lok Sabha member from Ongole constituency in Andhra Pradesh, who runs Magunta Agro farms Pvt. Ltd. through his son, told HT, “The company won a zone through proper bidding. My company has unnecessarily been dragged into the political controversy. On Tuesday, I will meet Lekhi ji and also tell people about the details of my company. All allegations are baseless, while I am also gathering more details from my officials.”

It was not immediately clear why the firms were blacklisted, or by which agency.

The minister also questioned why earnest money worth ₹30 crore deposited by a company, which was the lowest bidder for a liquor licence, was returned without adequate approval from the Cabinet even though the rule is that such money should be forfeited and deposited in the state exchequer.

She also alleged that the government gave companies a waiver of ₹50 per case of imported beer “so that foreign liquor could enter the market at a cheaper rate”.

“We are raising these questions regarding the work done by the government. Instead of engaging in rhetoric ,they should answer these questions… We are raising these questions based on the documents available,” Lekhi said.

The LG on Friday asked the CBI to inquire into the Delhi government’s excise policy, 2021-22, flagging procedural lapses in its implementation allegedly to benefit private liquor barons and individuals “at the highest echelons of the government”. The decision was based on a report prepared by chief secretary Naresh Kumar, dated July 8, which stated that the policy, prima facie, was implemented in violation of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR) 1993, Delhi Excise Act 2009 and Delhi Excise Rules 2010.

The BJP, which has been opposing the policy since it was introduced, will hold a protest against the government on Saturday.

“It is not just procedural lapses, there has been a violation of the master plan of Delhi-2021 in the implementation of the excise policy as liquor vends were allowed area without necessary permissions,” Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said.

Gupta alleged that the commission to liquor merchants had increased from 2.5% to 12.5% in the new policy. “This policy has been made to favour a few firms. We have been opposing it from day one,” Gupta said.

AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj in a statement said the Centre was trying to stall the Delhi government’s progress.

“When our government completed a year in power in 2016, the central government was extremely insecure and played every trick in the book to stall the Delhi government’s progress . The then LG got instructions from the Prime Minister’s Office to lay obstacles in the Delhi government’s path. Over 400 Delhi government files were investigated. A scheduled committee was formed, and they claimed the government had committed various scams and many people would go to prison. Nothing came of that investigation.... The BJP will try its best to stall the work of the Delhi government by opening investigations against each minister. The CBI, ED and income tax department have been tasked with this,” he said.