Kejriwal is not concerned about Delhi, should go to Punjab to become CM: Manoj Tiwari
New Delhi, October 30: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj
Tiwari on Sunday took a potshot on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is
on a visit to Gujarat, and said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader should move to
Punjab and become the CM there.
The BJP MP slammed Kejriwal over the deteriorating air quality of the national
capital.
"As pollution rises, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should have stayed in
Delhi to prepare for Chhath Puja. Instead, he is touring Gujarat as he does not
want to facilitate devotees here. If he is not concerned about Delhi, he should
go to Punjab and become Chief Minister there," Tiwari told ANI.
Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category on Sunday morning with
an overall air quality index (AQI) at 350.
According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research
(SAFAR), the AQI in the overall Delhi region was in the 'very poor' category at
350. In the Delhi University area and Pusa the AQI remained in 'very poor'
category at 372 and 343 respectively. In Lodhi Road area, the AQI was in the
'very poor' category at 326.
Amid row over Delhi's excise policy, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is on
a visit to Gujarat on Sunday, said that Rs 4,000-5,000 crore was going to be
generated from the policy, but there was a loss in revenue due to the
intervention of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
"Excise policy of AAP was supposed to generate revenue of Rs 4000-5000
crore but just two days before its implementation LG made many changes to it due
to which 300-400 shops could not be opened. Their licence fees and revenue did
not come. This is the reason behind less revenue," Kejriwal told
mediapersons here.
This came after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad
Poonawalla slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the RTI's new disclosures in
the matter of the Excise Policy scam case.
Poonawalla alleged that the 'New Liquor Policy of AAP' caused a huge loss. He
said that in 288 days, there has been a loss of Rs 2,000-2,300 crore. "AAP's
New Liquor Policy caused a loss of almost Rs 2000-2300 crore. The previous
liquor policy had earned Rs 768 crore in September alone which means nearly Rs
25 crore per day, while the new policy could earn Rs 5,036 crore in 7.5 months
meaning Rs 14.4 crore a day," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said
underscoring that the new policy should have garnered profit instead of bearing
a loss of Rs 8 crore per day.
He further accused the AAP government of using this money in the Punjab
elections and said it is now being used for Gujarat.
The elections in Gujarat are slated to be held soon, for which the political
parties are pressing hard to register a victory.
The BJP spokesperson further said whenever questions are raised about Liquor
policy, the AAP diverts the matter or starts "playing the victimhood
card". Terming the new excise policy by the AAP government in the national
capital as "Paapkari", Poonawalla said that "AAP ka Paap has
been exposed."
The matter came to light when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided
the residence of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia on August 18, in connection
with the alleged scam in the implementation of the Delhi government's liquor
policy, which now stands withdrawn.
Sisodia was among 15 others booked in an FIR filed by the CBI. Excise
officials, liquor company executives, dealers, some unknown public servants and
private persons have been booked in the case.
Sisodia, in charge of the excise department, has been under the scanner for
alleged deliberate and gross procedural lapses which provided undue benefits to
the tender process for liquor licensees for the year 2021-22.
The excise policy was passed by Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Cabinet in the middle
of the deadly Delta Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
The Delhi government's version is that the policy was formulated to ensure the
generation of optimum revenue, eradicate the sale of spurious liquor or
non-duty paid liquor in Delhi, besides improving user experience.
The CBI had filed a case against alleged corruption in the 2021-22 excise
policy. The excise policy was subsequently withdrawn by the AAP government.
Sisodia was among 15 others booked in an FIR filed by the CBI. Excise
officials, liquor company executives, dealers, some unknown public servants and
private persons were booked in the case.
It was alleged that irregularities were committed including modifications in
the Excise Policy and undue favours were extended to the license holders
including waiver or reduction in licence fee, an extension of L-1 license without
approval etc.