In a state where women are out on streets staging protest against opening of liquor shops a minister in Yogi Adityanath Government Swati Singh has stoked a controversy when she inaugurated a beer bar in the state capital.
Singh is Minister of State for Women Welfare.
The photographs of the inaugural function went viral in the social media, showing how the Minister was cutting a ribbon of the shop ‘Be the Beer’ in Gomti Nagar area on Saturday last.
Though the Minister was invited along with her husband Daya Shanker Singh, famous for his statement against BSP President Mayawati for the event, she was not available for comment on the matter. However, the Opposition parties have questioned the Yogi Adityanath government over the matter.
UP Congress legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar lalu alleged that it shows the real face of BJP. “When the entire women fraternity is fighting against the liquor menace, a BJP woman Minister inaugurating a beer bar, proves that BJP wants to promote liquor in the state,” he said.
He said this is the Hindu culture the BJP wants to propagate. When there is a demand for abolition and women are staging protest against opening of liquor shops in residential areas a minister inaugurating a Beer Bar shows apathy of the BJP government towards women’s issues.
“The Congress will hold protest against this incident,” he said.
SP Spokesperson Rajendra Choudhury too criticised the BJP government on the matter and asked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to clear his stand on this issue. “He should make a statement as what is the policy of his government words liquor,” he said and added that if CM does not support this move then the Minister should be sacked.
The BJP has gone into back foot over this issue. “I have no knowledge about this incident. The minister must have gone there on her personal capacity but why she went there could be explained by the minister herself,” BJP spokesman Shalabh Mani Tripathi said.
An IPS couple Gaurav Singh and Neha Pandey too are facing heat over attending this event. Gaurauv is posted as SP Rae Bareli while his wife Neha is SP Unnao, two adjoining districts of lucknow. After their pictures too went viral IG lucknow range J N Singh has asked an explanation from the IPA couple as why they left their districts when law and order situation is not good.