Over 300 liquor shops have been sealed in Delhi, BJP's Adesh Gupta said (Representational)
The BJP's Delhi unit has threatened to seal all liquor vends located in residential areas, near schools and religious places if the government does not shut them down in the next 48 hours.
BJP has been "relentlessly" protesting against the city government's new excise policy through chakka jam, signature campaign, and demonstrations, Delhi BJP Chief Adesh Gupta said at a press conference.
The municipal corporations in Delhi, ruled by the BJP, have taken action against several liquor shops, sealing such premises over alleged violations of the Master Plan.
Under the Delhi government's new excise policy, licences have been given to private parties for 849 new liquor vends across the city. So far, nearly 550 vends have started operations while the remaining are being set up by private operators.
A large virtual rally led by Union Minister Smriti Irani will be held against the AAP government's new excise policy in which about a crore people will connect via different social media platforms, the Delhi BJP said in a statement. LED screens will be installed in over 500 places across the city with each one catering to 250 people, it added.
BJP's agitation against the AAP government's new excise policy has been "quite successful" and as a result, over 300 liquor shops have already been sealed by corporations, Adesh Gupta claimed.
"There are still many such liquor shops which are in residential areas, near schools and religious places and if they aren't closed within 48 hours, party workers along with employees and officials of the corporations and I will personally go and seal them," he said.
Under the new excise policy, the liquor business in the city was completely handed over to private players allowing them to open 849 spacious and swanky vends in 32 zones with an area of at least 500 square metres.
Such outlets will also allow the walk-in facility to consumers where they can choose the alcohol brand of their choice as they do at shopping malls.
The Delhi BJP, which is in power in the three civic bodies - north, east, and south - has been opposing the policy, alleging that the liquor shops have been opened in violation of rules. Municipalities have also launched a crackdown on liquor shops, which they said were set up "illegally".
Adesh Gupta claimed that the new excise policy will make Delhi a city of liquor and it will affect all sections of the society, including women and youngsters.