Bhatt takes on CM over liquor policy

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 4

Ajay Bhatt, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, took a dig at the Chief Minister for his statement over the liquor policy and said the government talks about FL2 liquor licences to break the shackles of the liquor mafia in the state was preposterous.

Bhatt said that 40 to 50 liquor godowns opened in the state were owned by various companies. He asked the state government whether the liqour mafia had benefited from the old liquor policy or the policy that it was proposing at present.

Bhatt told mediapersons at the BJP headquarters in Dehradun today that due to the monopoly of one company in the liquor trade the chances of low quality liquor making its way to the market had increased.

He sought explanation for the Chief Minster about the liquor policy. He praised ministers who opposed the amendments to the FL2 policy at a Cabinet meeting held recently.

Bhat said in order to benefit one company the government was bent upon mending the liquor policy. He said the liquor mafia had become so powerful that the government and its offcilas were not able to speak against it. The BJP had finished the monopoly of the liquor mafia during its regime but the present government was siding with it.

Bhatt said if the monopoly of the liquor mafia was not broken, it would encourage supply of substandard liquor at expensive rates.