Is Spurious Liquor Claiming Lives in Punjab? BJP Chief Raises Alarm!

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 17 labourers tragically died in Amritsar due to spurious liquor.
- Sunil Jakhar criticizes the AAP government for negligence.
- Calls for an investigation into the liquor scandal.
- Jakhar alleges a connection between Delhi-based contractors and Punjab's liquor issue.
- He urges Punjab’s citizens to unite against the current regime.
Chandigarh, May 13 (NationPress) Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday launched a fierce critique against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration following the heartbreaking demise of 17 labourers in the Majitha region of Amritsar, reportedly due to the consumption of spurious liquor.
Jakhar raised serious questions about the accountability of the Punjab government, labeling Chief Minister Mann a ‘puppet’ of AAP's central leadership.
He voiced grave concern over the alarming trend of deaths linked to illicit liquor in the state.
“More than 15 individuals have lost their lives in Amritsar because of toxic liquor. Numerous others are struggling for survival and face the risk of blindness. Similar tragedies have transpired before,” he remarked.
He condemned the inaction and poor governance, claiming that those implicated in the Delhi liquor scam are now exerting their influence over Punjab.
“The individuals managing Delhi are now overseeing Punjab. They have been imprisoned for over two years due to their roles in the liquor scandal, whether it’s Manish Sisodia or Arvind Kejriwal. Punjab has become merely a pawn in their game,” Jakhar alleged.
Highlighting what he terms a worsening crisis in Punjab, Jakhar declared that the BJP would appeal to the Governor for an investigation into the involvement and presence of Delhi-based AAP leaders in Punjab’s governance.
He questioned how those accused in the liquor scandal could reside in government accommodations and conduct meetings in Punjab without any official capacity.
He also accused the state government of hypocrisy, stating, “While the government campaigns against drugs, rivers of pink alcohol are flowing through the state.”
According to Jakhar, the former revenue from liquor in Punjab was Rs 6,500 crore with 40 lakh boxes sold monthly. The new target, he claimed, is to raise Rs 11,000 crore by peddling 12 crore bottles of foreign liquor, a strategy he says is orchestrated by Delhi-based contractors.
He further asserted that the Punjab Chief Minister will remain inactive regarding these matters.
“The Chief Minister labels it murder, but he will not take action. The real authority lies with Kejriwal and Sisodia, not with Mann. They’ve returned from jail and resumed their dominance,” he argued, accusing the state of offering refuge to a cartel of liquor contractors for profit.
Jakhar also referred to a recent incident in Amritsar where a liquor contractor purportedly caused disorder during an NRI's daughter's wedding and subsequently filed a case against the NRI.
“Such contractors are shielded by the very policies and leaders currently in charge of Punjab,” he claimed.
Calling for solidarity, Jakhar urged the people of Punjab to rise against the existing regime.
“The BJP will not remain silent. We will bring to light those responsible and demand that outsiders in power in Punjab vacate immediately. It is time for Punjab to awaken and reclaim its governance,” he concluded, assuring that the BJP would persist in advocating for justice for the victims of the Amritsar tragedy.