Haryana session: Cong takes dig at excise policy, raises drug addiction issue

The Congress on Monday slammed the BJP-JJP government over the new excise policy, saying it will encourage liquor addiction among youths, and asked the ruling dispensation to take effective steps to curb the growing drug menace instead in the state.

Senior Congress leader Rao Dan Singh, while referring to some provisions of the excise policy, claimed “it will increase liquor addiction among youths”.

On the issue of drug malady, Singh said “after Punjab, drug menace is fast spreading in Haryana” and called upon the government to take effective steps to control it.

The Congress MLA was participating in a debate on the Governor's Address in the state assembly.

Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya had addressed the members of the Haryana assembly on the inaugural day of the two-week long budget session, which began here on February 20.

The excise policy for 2020-21 was unveiled on Thursday and new rules are to come into effect from April. They allow bars in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Panchkula to remain open till 1 am against the existing deadline of midnight.

Under the new policy, the bars in these cities can stay open even beyond 1 am after paying an additional annual licence fee of Rs 10 lakh per hour.

The excise duty on beer across categories has been slashed by Rs 10 per bulk litre (BL). Further, individuals can get a temporary licence for serving liquor at their private places.

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is also the leader of Opposition in the state assembly, had on Sunday demanded withdrawal of the new policy, terming it as a "recipe for disaster".

While raising farmers issue in the House, Rao Dan Singh, who is the MLA from south Haryana constituency Mahendergarh said the cooperative sugar mills are yet to clear the outstanding dues of cane growers.

On water issue, he said during the BJP government's rule, people of south Haryana have only got assurances that water will reach the tail ends.

Slamming the M L Khattar-led government, he said no major developmental project has been set up by the government.

“All major development works including the setting up of power plants, extension of metro lines, setting up of universities and colleges and hospitals took place during the Congress rule,” he claimed.

He said while government claims that MoUs worth over Rs 6.28 lakh crore were signed during various investment meets over the past five years, they should clarify as to how much out of it has actually materialised.

Referring to the mounting debt of the state, Singh pointed towards the Treasury benches and said, “You are running the government on borrowings.”

He faced repeated interruptions from BJP members Mahipal Dhanda and Aseem Goel who tried to launch a counter attack, prompting Bhupinder Singh Hooda to tell the Chair that if they do not allow his party legislator to speak, the Congress members too will be forced to interrupt the BJP MLAs when they speak on Governor's Address.

BJP MLA Abhe Singh Yadav earlier initiated the discussion on the Governor's Address.

Yadav said the previous BJP government in the state undertook equitable development and now the present BJP-JJP dispensation was continuing that with the spirit of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”.

The BJP legislator referred to the government's various steps in agriculture, health, education and other sectors.

While participating in the Governor's Address, JJP MLA Jogi Ram Sihag asked the state government to take back cases registered against youths during the Jat quota agitation in the state four years ago.