Kejriwal govt ignored recommendations of expert committee on Delhi excise policy, alleges BJP

BJP on Tuesday alleged that the Delhi government had ignored recommendations of an expert committee and the excise policy as the policy says that producers, retailers, and distributors of liquor cannot be the same.

New Delhi: Continuing its tirade against AAP over the alleged excise policy scam, the BJP on Tuesday alleged that the Delhi government had ignored the recommendations of an expert committee and the excise policy.

Addressing a press conference along with Lok Sabha member Pravesh Sahib Singh Verma at party headquarters here, BJP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sudhanshu Trivedi noted that the Delhi Excise Policy says that producers, retailers, and distributors of liquor cannot be the same, however, the same was violated.

Verma alleged that there are some private companies that were awarded with the responsibility of distribution, production and marketing of liquor, whereas the committee which was formed under the new excise policy, does not have made any such recommendations.

"In the policy it was instructed that those who are producers, they will not be given the responsibility of distribution. But two companies were given the responsibility of production and distribution. So, now the public wants to know the relation of the Aam Aadmi Party with those companies," he said.

Verma further alleged that the expert committee had decided that the government would not push the promotion of liquor. Despite that, the government started giving a carton free on every carton sold. "In the last 7 months, liquor worth Rs 10,000 crore has been sold in Delhi which is one and a half times more in comparison to previous years. But the revenue and the excise amount the government should have received was not credited to the government's account. So where did the money go?" Verma questioned.

In response to Aam Aadmi Party's allegation that BJP wants to break his party, Trivedi said they are not getting any correct answers to the allegations, so when they are asked on the liquor scam, the answer is over education schemes. "If the BJP asks questions on chemistry to the AAP, they answer on history. So, I request them to stick to the scams in the excise policy and Kejriwal should not talk here and there," he said.