Making a scathing attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh objected strongly over opening of liquor shops just to raise the revenue and suggested the BJP Government that if it is so desperate for earning revenue then it should also permit dance bars in the State.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesman KK Mishra in a statement here on Monday said, “The decision of the BJP Government of state that has become economically bankrupt to open liquor shops on the highways in urban limits just to fill its treasury is highly objectionable. If the Government is so desperate to earn revenue than it should permit to open dance bars also in the State that would suit to its real character.”
Mishra further said that with this decision on the one hand the claim of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan that no further liquor shop would be opened in the State has been evaporated while on the other hand the chief minister has been exposed before the people of the State.
With this decision the Chief Minister now needs to clarify his double speak before the people, he added. He said that with this decision of the State Government not only the new liquor shops would open on the high ways passing through the civic bodies but the social ills of it like road accidents, crime and law and order would also become worst. It would be like issuing a license for social ills within the city limits, he added.
He said that the two reasons that could be gauged from the decision of the State Government are first exchange of money to Government from liquor mafia and second surrender of Government before the liquor mafia.
The senior Congress leader also termed laughable the statement of excise commissioner DR Johri who said that the highways passing through cities are for namesake, when multi storey buildings could be made around them why can’t liquor shops be opened.