Bhagwant Mann trolls Smriti Irani over her accusation on Delhi govt

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after party leader and Union minister Smriti Irani accused the Delhi government of opening liquor stores in the national capital for mere profit. Slamming the BJP, Mann, who is AAP's chief ministerial candidate in Punjab, said that the collection from liquor stores will be used for infrastructure development. "BJP hardly has four-five seats in Delhi. The collection from liquor stores will be used for infrastructure development, building schools and ensuring proper supply of electricity," Mann said. "BJP doesn't have any option other than raising questions on our party," he also said.

Mann was campaigning in Punjab when he made the statement.

The statement comes after Irani criticised the Delhi government over its updated liquor policy and said the city's chief minister Arvind Kejriwal opened liquor stores for just profits. "Arvind Kejriwal opened liquor stores and proved he can go to any limits for profit," she said in a press conference on Friday.

"I would like to ask all brothers here, imagine a sister passing by a liquor store hoping for respect and safety, every day. Kejriwal did not bother about this problem and is responsible for her struggle," the BJP leader also said. She further drew a narrative betweem the Kejriwal government in city and the centre, saying "BJP is constructing a temple and Kejriwal government is opening a liquor store near it. You will find a liquor store in the middle of two gurudwaras in Tilak Nagar. Religion has a decorum that has been violated by the Kejriwal government... and then he promises a 'nasha-mukt' Punjab."

Punjab Assembly elections will be held on February 20, 2022. The results will be declared on March 10.

The BJP is determined to continue its protest against the new excise policy till it is withdrawn by the Kejriwal government, she also asserted.

The Kejriwal government has moved out of liquor sale in Delhi, licencing out 849 liquor vends to private firms through open tendering under its new excise policy. So far, over 550 liquor stores have been opened in many parts of the city while rest are coming up.

(Except for the headline and the pictorial description, this story has not been edited by THE DEN staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)