BJP slams UP govt`s move to allow liquor sale in malls

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has allowed liquor brands to open their outlets in shopping malls, BJP today said, and accused it of continuing with the excise policy of the previous Mayawati regime.

"The government in its excise policy has decided to allow liquor shops to open in malls which BJP strongly opposes," BJP`s state chief spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak told reporters here. "Mall is a public place where children, women and families go...If liquor shops are allowed like other showrooms it will lead to anarchy," he alleged. Pathak said that at most of the liquor shops people buy and consume liquor at the same place. "When shops will open in the malls, how will the government ensure that this does not happen there as well, particularly when most of the malls have food courts," he said. The spokesman also raised objection over leakage of the excise policy when the Assembly was in the session. "When the Assembly is in session, the house is informed first about any policy decision taken by the government. The cabinet approved the excise policy and before informing the house it was leaked to the media," he said. Pathak alleged that it seemed to be a deliberate move. The BJP leader also criticised the government for continuing with the policy of the previous BSP regime and alleged that one group would continue to have monopoly. "When Mayawati government came with the policy, along with other parties even SP had opposed it...But now the SP government has decided to continue with the same policy for reasons best known to it," Pathak said. The spokesman said that if the government was aiming to increase its revenue it should have gone for the competitive bidding. "Competitive bidding would have raised revenue...But it seems like the previous regime the SP government has also bowed before a particular group," he alleged. PTI