PNS | DEHRADUN
The vice president of Uttarakhand Congress Suryakant Dhasmana has accused the BJP government of converting Uttarakhand into a liquor State.
Addressing a press conference at the headquarters of the State Congress here on Monday, Dhasmana said that in its election manifesto, the BJP had promised to take the State towards prohibition in a phased manner. However after getting elected the BJP government has opened liquor shops everywhere due to which the youngsters of the State are coming in the grip of alcoholism.
The Congress leader said that the BJP government has changed Uttarakhand from the Tourism State to a Liquor State. He said that the increased number of liquor shops is filling the coffers of the government while the money from overrating and other practices is finding its way into the pockets of BJP leaders.
Dhasmana said that 65 new liquor shops have come up in Dehradun and preparations are on to open 50 more liquor shops. He claimed that a sum of Rs 15 lakh is being charged from every shop as licence fee and a similar amount is demanded as bribe.
Talking about overrating the Congress leader claimed that a sum of Rs 25 crore is being charged from the people every month from overrating. He said that one liquor mafia of Uttar Pradesh is getting patronage of powerful people of BJP and he is running the show in the excise department. Dhasmana claimed that this person is even deciding every policy of the excise department and FL-II license.
Dhasmana demanded that the chief minister should intervene and rein the menace of overrating and free the excise department from clutches of mafia.
