Power drunk: Anna Hazare slams Arvind Kejriwal over liquor policy

New Delhi, August 30

Amid “shadow boxing” and accusations of AAP playing as BJP’s “B team” to “push the Congress on the sidelines to benefit the saffron party” in poll-bound Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today received an earful from his erstwhile mentor Anna Hazare.

Anna slammed Kejriwal for being “intoxicated with power and of forgetting the ideologies and values of the movement that gave birth to AAP”.

Slamming Delhi’s controversial excise policy, Hazare said it would encourage liquor sale, consumption and spur corruption. Citing the complete liquor ban in his village, Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, Hazare also reminded Kejriwal about his book ‘Swaraj’ favouring liquor ban.

“You had written a book titled ‘Swaraj’ where you wrote about ideals. There was a lot of hope from you then, but after going into politics and becoming the Chief Minister, you have forgotten the ideology,” said Hazare. The Gandhian said it was for the first time he was writing to Kejriwal as it pains him to read reports about the Delhi Government’s Excise Policy.

Hazare and Kejriwal were key faces of the anti-graft movement launched in 2011 to demand the appointment of a Lokpal. Hazare also accused Kejriwal of not making any effort to bring a strong Lokayukta Act.

Responding to Hazare’s letter, Kejriwal said the Opposition was using him like it used Kumar Vishwas earlier. “First Vishwas, now Anna ji, the Opposition is using people to train guns on me when left with no reply,” he said.

It’ll spur corruption

Social activist Anna Hazare slammed Delhi’s controversial excise policy, saying it would encourage liquor sale, consumption and spur corruption