The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday attacked the BJP and accused it of “hypocrisy” by opposing the Delhi government’s decision to reduce the minimum drinking age from 25 years to 21 years.
“I am surprised to see the hypocrisy of the BJP. Within BJP-ruled States, the minimum drinking age has been 21 for many years, including in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh. The BJP has ruled Goa for 15 years, where the minimum drinking age is 18 years,” said AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj during a press conference.
He challenged BJP leaders to increase the minimum age to 25 years in BJP-ruled States, and added that the Aam Aadmi Party will make it 30 years in Delhi, if the BJP makes it 25 years.
Mr. Bharadwaj further alleged that the BJP was “misleading” people because “they think that they can’t do corruption once the new policy is implemented”.
“This is BJP’s attempt to steal revenue and protect black marketing. If you go to a restaurant where liquor is served, you often see a 21-year-old. The police and other departments raid these premises and extort money from restaurant owners. This money goes to the top. By our decision, this malpractice will be stopped and that is why BJP is upset,” the AAP leader said.
Property tax
The AAP leader further claimed that the BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation had brought a proposal to hike the property tax by 34%, which the BJP termed “totally false”.
Talking about the alleged increase in property tax, the AAP leader said they got to know that the BJP-ruled South body is set to increase the property tax. “The South body has brought a proposal to increase the property tax by 34%. Aam Aadmi Party believes that it is a very unfortunate decision and the BJP-ruled civic body has decided to increase the property tax in every category. A, B, C, D and even in the H category it is increasing the property tax. Moreover, they have not even kept out Jhuggi-hope and JJ Cluster,” he said.
“Allegation of Mr. Bhardwaj is totally false as South body Standing Committee has already rejected the proposal of the Commissioner to raise house tax. It seems in his malafide anxiety to level charges against the civic body, Mr. Bhardwaj does not even crosscheck facts,” Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said.
