The Himachal Pradesh cabinet led by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thankur cleared the new excise policy
The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad or ABVP has slammed Himachal Pradesh's new excise policy which has reduced liquor rates and approved keeping bars open in star rated hotels till 2 am.
The state cabinet in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday gave its approval to the new excise policy which extended operational timings of bars in all star rated hotels and bars in specified important tourist areas from noon to 2 am to promote tourism.
The policy passed by the state government also approved reduction in the price of liquor.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday, ABVP state secretary Rahul Rana slammed the BJP government for adopting double standards on the issue of eradicating of drugs from the state.
On the one hand, the government claims to make the state drug free and on the other hand it has reduced liquor rates and approved opening of bars till 2 am.
"The number of accidents will increase and crime rate will further rise after making liquor cheaper and opening bars till 2 am," he told news agency Press Trust of India.
The ABVP state secretary has demanded an immediate withdrawal of the new excise policy in public interest.
Mr Rana added that the ABVP has been opposing anti-social and anti-youth decisions of the government from time to time.