Swaraj India workers protest against liquor vends in mall

Hundreds of Swaraj India supporters on Sunday protested against liquor vends functioning from a shopping mall in east Delhi and accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of flouting excise rules in allocating licences for these businesses.

Swaraj India's Delhi State President Anupam led party workers in the protest against a dozen-odd liquor vends holding L10 licences which open towards 'Cross River' Mall.

He said the AAP came to power to make Delhi liquor-free but it had been violating excise rules.

"The Delhi government is illegally distributing L10 licences to enable licensees to open vends in shopping malls. Rules for shops within a mall clearly say that all such shops should have entrance only within the building and cannot have entrance/exit towards the mall's exterior," Anupam said.

The Swaraj India leader said these liquor shops had been set up against the approved map of the said mall. "Every week, Delhi excise officials are supposed to inspect liquor vends in the city, but not a single objection has been raised or action taken against these vends which are blatantly violating rules."

"The shopping mall has been turned into a liquor den, leaving people living in nearby residential areas helpless. Neither the Delhi government, nor area MP or MLA or councillor has opposed these illegally operating liquor vends. It is surprising to see such a harmonious relation between the AAP and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in promoting liquor trade in Delhi," he said.

--IANS

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