BJP hits back: Sisodia ‘liquor minister’

NEW DELHI : The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday accused the former of playing with the lives of children as he increased the wholesale commission of liquor from 2 per cent to 12 per cent in order to get their commission. Addressing a press conference BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Today, every child of Delhi knows that Aam Aadmi Party and Manish Sisodia increased the wholesale commission of liquor from 2 per cent to 12 per cent in order to get their commission so that Aam Aadmi Party can earn big money.” Terming Sisodia’s arrest as an eye-opening matter, he said that it is for the first time in history that a Minister of Education was arrested for Excise policy irregularities. “It’s unfortunate that a Minister of Education was arrested for Excise policy. It’s an eye-opening and shocking matter. Manish Sisodia played with the lives of children,” said Patra. Hitting out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Patra said that not a single reason was given for withdrawing the Excise policy by the AAP and its leaders. “We asked why blacklisted companies that could not be allocated contracts were given contracts. Besides, we asked many questions regarding irregularities and corruption. However, the AAP evaded these questions and failed to provide any answers,” he said. “In the last, 1 year did Arvind Kejriwal or an AAP member ever conduct a single press conference for explaining excise policy? We asked why did they withdraw their excise policy abruptly for which they always spoke in favour? They did not state even a single reason,” he added. Referring to the year before 2014, Patra said that Kejriwal had raised issues about liquor shops in the area and had promised to shut them down once they form the government. “Before 2014, Kejriwal ji used to say that we will go to every neighborhood in Delhi, ask women what do you want? If women say that liquor shops should be closed, then they will be closed. But after coming to power, the party conspired to open liquor shops near temples and near schools for commission,” said Sambit Patra. In a scathing attack on Delhi CM Kejriwal, the BJP spokesperson said that the former has been going to the house of those people whom he used to call corrupt. “This is the same Aam Aadmi Party that earlier used to bring out a list every day that these people are the most corrupt in the country. Today Arvind Kejriwal is going to the house of those people whom he used to call the most corrupt,” said Sambit Patra.