Congress, SAD seek Delhi-like probe into Punjab’s excise policy; say policy passed at behest of Manish Sisodia

The opposition Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal SAD sought a review of Punjab's excise policy on Saturday, claiming it was a "sellout" and the state had been "frauded," similar to how Delhi's liquor policy is being investigated by the CBI.

Pargat Singh, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Punjab, claimed on Twitter that the probe into AAP leader Manish Sisodia for the controversial Delhi excise policy should also cover the recent Punjab excise policy, which he claims was passed at his behest.

CBI raids and investigations against Delhi Deputy CM @msisodia for the controversial Delhi excise policy should also include the recent Punjab excise policy which was passed at the behest of Mr. Sisodia.Let us wait for all the facts to emerge out.#LiquorPolicy pic.twitter.com/xqTAcajJJH

— Pargat Singh (@PargatSOfficial) August 19, 2022

Congress Legislative Party leader in Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa along with other party leaders said they will meet the governor seeking a probe into the excise policy in Punjab.

“Like Delhi, the liquor policy in Punjab is a sellout in which the AAP leaders in connivance with some senior officials have defrauded the state of thousands of crores of rupees, besides rendering hundreds of Punjabi traders jobless,” Bajwa alleged.

Previously, AAP-turned-Congress MP Sukhpal Singh Khaira made a similar demand, claiming that it had damaged the businesses of hundreds of local liquor vendors in order to please a few favorites. In a statement, Khaira, who is also the head of the All-India Kisan Congress, slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for "crying persecution over the CBI probe."

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia has also called for a high-level investigation of Punjab's excise policy, claiming that the "liquor mafia" being investigated in Delhi by the CBI has taken over the liquor business in Punjab.

“The AAP government of Punjab is looting the state exchequer to contest elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat,” Majithia alleged.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Congress announced that the entire state leadership will appear before the vigilance bureau on Monday at 11 a.m. because it is "tired of the daily dose of charges" leveled against its leaders by the AAP government.

The demand in AAP ruled Punjab came a day after the CBI conducted searches at 31 locations, including those associated to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as well as several bureaucrats and business owners, over alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise policy 2021-22.

READ| Multi-crore instant loan application and extortion racket with China link busted, over 100 apps involved