‘Their MP said liquor is medicine..’: Sanjay Raut slams BJP’s opposition of wine sale in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government has allowed the sale of wine in supermarkets and walk-in shops across the state.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut sharpened his attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) opposition of the Maharashtra government allowing sale of wine in supermarkets and walk-in shops across the state.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut. (HT file photo)

Speaking to reporters, Raut said on Saturday that the previous BJP dispensation in Maharashtra under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis had planned on home delivering liquor. “Fadnavis govt planned to make a policy of giving home delivery of liquor (purhcased) online, what was that?” Raut asked.

The proposal of home delivering liquor online dates back to 2018 when former Maharashtra excise minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that his government was considering a policy for home delivery and online sale. However, then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had said there was no such plan.

Taking potshots at BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya, Sanjay Raut also told reporters on Saturday said that the saffron party's leader “said that liquor is medicine and drink it in small quantities.”

On January 20, Sadhvi Pragya, who is known for making controversial remarks, said that consuming alcohol in limited quantities acts as a medicine and it is poison if consumed extensively. "As per Ayurveda, liquor works as a medicine if consumed in a limited quantity but as poison, if consumed in unlimited quantities. Everyone must understand this," Pragya said.

According to Maharashtra skill development minister Nawab Malik, the decision to allow the sale of wine was taken to give a boost to fruit-based wineries which provide additional income to farmers.

“I do not know whether wine is considered liquor but it is made from farm produce. With its sale, farmers could earn more. Those who are opposing it are anti-farmer,” Sanjay Raut had said on Friday.

The state government has said that supermarkets and shops measuring 1,000 square feet and above can sell wine by paying a licence fee, though norms in place for liquor sale have to be followed.

However, the BJP pointed out that the government is promoting liquor in Maharashtra with Fadnavis saying "We will not allow Maharashtra to become a Madya-Rashtra ('liquor state')."