Delhi government resumes discount on liquor; BJP slams Kejriwal

The ban imposed three weeks ago was only to silence the social outcry, especially of women: Kapoor

The Delhi government has allowed up to 25% discount at liquor vends, according to an official order. In February, the government had prohibited discounts and schemes by liquor outlets citing crowding at many vends.

“Licensees can offer discounts or concessions up to a maximum of 25 per cent of the MRP of liquor sale in Delhi,” said the order issued on Friday, adding that the liquor vends will have to strictly abide by the terms and conditions of the license and penal action will be taken against violators.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that with the order allowing up to 25% discount liquor sale, the Kejriwal government had given its silent approval to earlier schemes of liquor mafia such as the one offering one bottle free on purchase of another.

The ban imposed on promotional schemes three weeks ago was only to silence the social outcry, especially of women, Mr. Kapoor said, adding that the latest order “exposed Kejriwal government’s anti-nasha claims”. Mr. Kapoor, in a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, demanded a withdrawal of the order and a ban on any kind of liquor promotional schemes. 

He said that any kind of promotional scheme will only increase liquor consumption in society, especially amongst youth, which is inappropriate.

Under the new excise policy, which came into effect last November, the Delhi government had allowed liquor vends in the city to give discounts and offer various schemes.But the government lifted the discount on the liquor sale in February.

Defending its decision to prohibit the promotional schemes, the Delhi government had said in an affidavit before the Delhi High Court that huge discounts and offers such as ‘buy one, get one free’ resulted in crowds outside liquor vends in many parts of the city, leading to adverse law and order situation.