The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a “chakka jam” across Delhi against the Delhi government’s new excise policy on Monday, 3 December, leading to traffic jams in various parts of the capital.
Key routes that were affected include the ITO crossing, Vikas Marg from Laxmi Nagar to ITO, the road near Akshardham temple, National Highway 24, Noida-Delhi Link Road, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Mother Dairy Road, and the Signature Bridge road, Hindustan Times reported.
Meanwhile, Delhi deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, stated that the BJP was "rattled" as the new excise policy aims to curb the sale of illegal liquor in the national capital.
Sisodia was quoted as saying, “BJP always had a link with alcohol mafia. Illegal alcohol was sold at many places by BJP. With CM Kejriwal's schemes stopped Rs 3,500 crores of money from being stolen, so BJP is in pain”, news agency ANI reported.
Explaining the chronology, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said in a tweet, "Earlier: Liquor mafia in Delhi used to steal revenue of Rs 3-4 thousand crore through illegal liquor shops. Then: Arvind Kejriwal government brought New Excise Policy, bringing the liquor mafia under control and saving the public Rs 3,500 crore. Now: BJP people are harassing the people of Delhi by creating road bloackades."
The protest near Akshardham was led by Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta, who said, "The Delhi government is opening liquor shops illegally across the city under its new excise policy. Shops are being opened near residential and religious places. Our protest will continue until the policy is rolled back," news agency PTI reported.
Under the new excise policy, 849 premium liquor vends are being opened across the city. The policy was implemented in the city from 17 November 2021.
Meanwhile, photos and videos have been shared on social media, claiming that BJP workers blew out tyres of DTC buses to create traffic jams.
AAP spokesperson Nitish Tyagi said in a tweet, "Action should be taken against those who damage government property in the name of protest in Delhi. All loss should be recovered from them."
(With inputs from ANI, PTI, and Hindustan Times.)
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