AAP, BJP spar over proposed excise policy

New Delhi The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for protesting against the Delhi government’s proposed excise policy for the national capital and accused it of corruption, a charge which was denied by the latter as “baseless”

New Delhi The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for protesting against the Delhi government’s proposed excise policy for the national capital and accused it of corruption, a charge which was denied by the latter as “baseless”. The BJP further hit back saying the AAP is engaging in corruption through the proposed policy.

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The proposed excise policy for Delhi aims at increasing the government’s revenue, improving consumer experience, contributing to ease of doing business, and cracking down on import of liquor from other states which cause revenue loss to the Delhi government.

The policy proposes to reduce legal drinking age in Delhi from 25 to 21 years, bring down the number of dry days and ensure equitable distribution of liquor stores across the city. Delhi BJP leaders have been protesting against the proposed policy since Tuesday.

“In Delhi, a lot of people aged below 25 years go to restaurants and pubs and consume liquor. For that, the BJP leaders extort money from restaurant and pub owners. With the new policy, this extortion will stop. Also, several BJP-ruled states such as Goa, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh have 18 years as the legal drinking age. Why do they have a problem with the Delhi government reducing it to 21?” said AAP MLA Atishi in a press conference at the party office in central Delhi on Friday.

Delhi BJP, however, termed the allegations “baseless”. “They should stop misleading people on the issue and answer questions such as why is the Delhi government adding liquor shops? Why are they handing over 500 shops to private enterprises? Why are they (government) preferring a system with fewer number of wholesale distributors? This policy reeks of corruption,” said Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor.

While AAP is in charge of the Delhi government, the BJP rules all three municipal corporations. Restaurants and pubs in the city have to adhere to guidelines, regulations, and protocols under the jurisdiction of both administrations, depending on the nature of the issue – like food safety standards, taxes, excise, fire safety, pollution, etc.