Come clean on excise policy: Congress to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

Chandigarh, September 8

Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday called upon Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to come clean on the state excise policy that is mired in controversy following Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on top Punjab officials.

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Bajwa said ever since the ED conducted search operations at the residences of Excise Commissioner Varun Roojam and Joint Commissioner Naresh Dubey, the Mann government has gone into a silent mode.

Instead of coming out openly in support of the excise policy and defending his top officials, Mann and Harpal Singh Cheema, who also holds the excise portfolio, have gone into hibernation, Bajwa alleged.

Bajwa said such an attitude of the Punjab Government would only create fear psychosis among the top, middle and lower-rung officials. In fact, it would also strengthen the apprehension of the Opposition that there was something fishy about the liquor policy made on the directions of AAP political masters sitting in Delhi.

The Congress leader also lambasted Mann and Cheema for leaving their top officials to defend themselves who were only abiding by the directions of Delhi CM Arvind Kewjriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia.