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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat was on Wednesday at the centre of a raging controversy in the wake of an alleged sting operation where the state excise secretary Mohd Shahid is being seen purportedly fixing a deal on the new liquor policy in the hill state.
“This is a clear open and shut case where Mohd Shahid (IAS officer) is clearly seen fixing a deal on the new excise policy. The Chief Minister must resign without any delay,” said Ajay Bhatt, leader of the opposition.
However, the Chief Minister ruled out his resignation. “I will not resign merely on the basis of a CD report. We should also check whether the CD is authentic,” the Chief Minister said when asked to comment on the alleged CD which was released by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala SItharaman at New Delhi.
The sting operation came after the government had been allegedly planning to restrict the wholesale foreign liquor (FL-2) business in the hands of 1-2 companies only. At a recent cabinet meeting, there was a difference of opinion as some of the cabinet ministers had opposed the new excise policy following which it was deferred.
However, the Chief Minister Rawat had been strongly defending the plan saying his government was trying to break the syndicate in the hill state.
Ahead of the general elections last year, the government had withdrawn its controversial order allegedly favouring two companies for the FL-2 business. At that time, the BJP had approached the election commission against the government for "quietly" changing the state excise policy in order to "generate election funds to the tune of crores of rupees".
The BJP had alleged the government was trying to give the contract of the wholesale FL-2 business to only two companies. However, the matter resurfaced this year when the government tried to bring the new policy through the state cabinet.
Under the plan, the wholesale foreign liquor (FL-2) would be sold only through two centres - one in Dehradun and other in Udhamsingh Nagar. Through this plan, the government had tried to revoke the present wholesale liquor policy where all the big companies were entitled to open their depots in the state.
But through this controversial policy, the government had allegedly restricted the sale of foreign liquor through the two centres or companies only, alleged Ajay Bhatt.
"The Chief Minister is lying when he claims that he is trying to break the syndicate. Actually, the Chief Minister is trying to promote the syndicate culture,” alleged Bhatt.
He further alleged the new policy would have also harmed the state's revenue in a big way as the government used to get license fees from over 40 companies through the original policy.
However, the Chief Minister Rawat had been strongly defending the plan saying his government was trying to break the syndicate in the hill state.
Ahead of the general elections last year, the government had withdrawn its controversial order allegedly favouring two companies for the FL-2 business. At that time, the BJP had approached the election commission against the government for "quietly" changing the state excise policy in order to "generate election funds to the tune of crores of rupees".
The BJP had alleged the government was trying to give the contract of the wholesale FL-2 business to only two companies. However, the matter resurfaced this year when the government tried to bring the new policy through the state cabinet.
Under the plan, the wholesale foreign liquor (FL-2) would be sold only through two centres - one in Dehradun and other in Udhamsingh Nagar. Through this plan, the government had tried to revoke the present wholesale liquor policy where all the big companies were entitled to open their depots in the state.
But through this controversial policy, the government had allegedly restricted the sale of foreign liquor through the two centres or companies only, alleged Ajay Bhatt.
"The Chief Minister is lying when he claims that he is trying to break the syndicate. Actually, the Chief Minister is trying to promote the syndicate culture,” alleged Bhatt.
He further alleged the new policy would have also harmed the state's revenue in a big way as the government used to get license fees from over 40 companies through the original policy.
