Maharashtra BJP presidentChandrakant Patil on Wednesday said Pune and Mumbai are COVID- 19 hotspots, where liquor shops should not be allowed to remain open during the lockdown.He said social distancing norms were not followed when people gathered outside liquor shops when they opened on Monday following relaxations in lockdown rules.Patil said earning revenue from alcohol sale should not be the driving force behind opening liquor outlets during the lockdown."Allowing the sale of liquor during the lockdown in Pune and other districts in the state is dangerous and it should be stopped," said Patil while talking to reporters here.The former minister there are two reasons why liquor outlets should not be allowed to operate during the lockdown which has been imposed to halt the spread of coronavirus.When permission to open liquor shops was given, long queues were observed outside them with no compliance to social distancing norms, Patil said.Secondly, it involves issues at the domestic level, the BJP leader said."Keep aside the revenue angle and think about social problems that will surface due to the decision," said the MLA from Kothrud in Pune.He said liquor does not come under the "essential commodity" category, and Pune and Mumbai have been declared hotspots for COVID-19, where liquor shops should not be allowed to remain open.On Tuesday night, the Mumbai civic body withdrew permission given to liquor shops to operate during the lockdown.
