Congress intensifies attack on Kejriwal, Sisodia in liquor scam
The Congress has once again intensified its attack on the AAP, accusing former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia of being involved in the massive liquor scam that allegedly caused significant harm to the city.
While addressing a press conference at the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) office, Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Devender Yadav played an audio clip from Sharad Chauhan, an AAP MLA from Narela, which they claim exposes the involvement of Kejriwal and Sisodia in the scandal.
Pawan Khera, chairman of the Communication, Media and Publicity Department of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC), accused the AAP of engaging in “corruption at its highest level.”
Khera said the audio clip revealed that the liquor policy was created at the behest of Kejriwal, who was allegedly using funds from liquor companies to support election campaigns in states like Punjab, Goa and Gujarat.
“It is clearly heard in the audio that money was being taken from liquor companies for election purposes. This was a well-planned strategy to fund elections and maintain power,” Khera stated.
The Congress leader emphasised that only the AAP government could make an education minister the liquor minister, pointing to Sisodia’s dual role in overseeing both education and excise policies.
“When the man responsible for education also promotes liquor, it’s clear how this government has destroyed Delhi,” Khera added.
He also highlighted the unprecedented nature of the scandal, noting that it was the first time in India’s history that both chief minister and deputy chief minister were jailed for a corruption scandal.
Devender Yadav, president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, echoed Khera’s criticism, saying the audio from Chauhan, who is also contesting the Narela seat in the upcoming elections, exposed the social degradation under the AAP’s rule.
“This audio reveals the truth about how the liquor scam was executed by the top leadership of AAP. It shows the stark contrast between their promises of transparency and their actions,” Yadav said.
Yadav further accused Kejriwal of enriching his allies while causing suffering for the people of Delhi. He pointed out that the rapid expansion of the liquor business under the AAP’s rule had led to increased unemployment and addiction, particularly among the youth.
“The liquor scam, which resulted in a loss of over Rs 2,000 crore of taxpayers’ money, has now been exposed. Delhiites are fed up with this corruption, and they will vote the Congress to power to end Kejriwal’s reign,” Yadav stated.
As part of his attack, Yadav listed seven key questions he urged Kejriwal to answer regarding the liquor scam, which he claims involved serious violations of Delhi Excise Rules. These included the illegal granting of licenses to companies in violation of rules designed to prevent cartelisation, manipulation of liquor prices to benefit contractors and the compromise on the quality of liquor sold to the public.
Yadav also highlighted the failure to properly track liquor distribution, despite a barcode system being introduced by the previous Congress government.
“Why was the tracking system weakened under AAP’s watch? Why were the recommendations of the expert committee ignored, leading to massive revenue losses for Delhi?” he asked.