Governor not taking action to curb liquor smuggling from Chandigarh to Punjab: AAP

AAP leader Malvinder Singh Kang on Sunday targeted Punjab Governor and Chandigarh administrator Banwarilal Purohit over the issue of alleged liquor smuggling from the Union territory to the state, accusing him of not taking any action in the matter.

The chief spokesperson of the AAP's Punjab unit alleged that a large amount of illegal liquor was being smuggled from Chandigarh to Punjab every day.

"The governor constantly questions the Punjab government on the issue of drugs, but he is not saying anything or taking any action to stop the liquor smuggling," he alleged in a party statement ahead of Purohit's three-day visit to border districts of the state from October 4.

Kang alleged that the liquor mafia is getting encouraged and Chandigarh is facing financial losses. "Since the governor of Punjab is also the administrator of Chandigarh, it is his responsibility to stop this smuggling." He appealed to Purohit to take appropriate measures to stop liquor smuggling.

"There is a big difference between questioning others and correcting oneself. The governor should improve the administration of Chandigarh and curb the liquor mafia before questioning the Punjab government on the matter," Kang said.

The AAP raised the liquor smuggling issue after the Punjab excise commissioner wrote to the Chandigarh Finance Secretary, pointing out that liquor is being smuggled from Chandigarh to Punjab on a large scale.

The excise department of Punjab has in the recent past confiscated huge quantities of liquor coming from Chandigarh which is a very worrying trend, the commissioner wrote.

In the September 12 letter, the Punjab excise commissioner wrote that from April 1 to August 31, a total of 184 FIRs have been registered in various districts where liquor from Chandigarh was confiscated.

A total of 2,916 cases of smuggled liquor was recovered by the department, the commissioner wrote and claimed that smuggling on such a large scale was not possible without the active support of manufacturers or traders in Chandigarh.

A tussle between the AAP government and the Raj Bhavan had been going on various issues. In one of his letters, Purohit had claimed that he had received reports from various agencies regarding the rampant availability and abuse of drugs in Punjab and had also sought a report in this regard.