Delhi Excise Policy War : Consumers made to suffer in slugfest between Delhi Government and MCD
Of the 552 new liquor vends opened, MCD has already sealed 25 and issued notice to another 130 shops
It is a new political battle between the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi Government versus the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) which is controlled by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
They say, man proposes and god disposes, but here it seems that Delhi Government proposes but finally, the BJP-led MCD disposes.
As per the New Excise Policy introduced recently by the Delhi Government, the Capital of the country would be made free from dingy wine shops which would be replaced by 849 new, brighter and bigger shops, where there would be no brand pushing of cheap and inferior quality liquor. The policy was made in line so as to give the consumer of Delhi, a wide range of quality products to choose from. In this direction, all government-owned liquor vends, which were at dark spots of the city and were quite infamous for brand pushing of low quality and inferior liquor, were shut for once and all. But alas, petty politics seems to be bringing things back to square one.
Of the 552 new swanky liquor shops opened as per the new excise policy of Delhi, 25 of these have already sealed by the MCD, which is ruled by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). The MCD has issued notice to another 130 new liquor vends and sword hangs on the very existence of these new shops.
Industry sources says that the local mafia, which had been calling the shots through their liquor syndicate for decades now, openly selling their cheap and inferior quality liquor in the Capital, had lobbied hard against the new liquor policy to save their business and existence, but had failed to do so. This lobby, sources say, has gone to the MCD, which they think, could be their last saviour.
Now it seems that the consumer of Delhi is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea with the new tussle between the Delhi Government and the MCD. The MCD, has been shutting new shops and issuing notices to others on flimsy pretext of illegal construction and violation of building bylaws.
Needless to say, the consumer is the worst suffered in this political battle.
