No rush when vends reopened because illegal liquor sale continued during lockdown: Hooda

Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Monday claimed that liquor was illegally being sold in Haryana during lockdown and hence there was no rush when its sale was allowed on May 6.

"When liquor vends opened in other states like Delhi, UP, Chhattisgarh, there were long queues and vends at some places had to be closed.

"But no such scene was witnessed in Haryana and the reason for this was that liquor smuggling was going on and liquor was being illegally sold during lockdown," he said.

The former chief minister said it was a "serious issue" and the government should thoroughly probe it.

During a video conference with reporters, Hooda, the leader of the opposition, was also asked about the huge stock of liquor missing from a godown in Sonipat and the SIT probe ordered by the state government.

Asked if a liquor scam has taken place under political patronage, he said, "I cannot hold anyone guilty or innocent, this is for the SIT to probe."