“Gujarat is supposed to be a dry state, yet liquor is available at the click of a phone,” alleged Arvind Kejriwal as he launched a sharp attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Indian National Congress during a rally in Gandhinagar on Sunday.
Addressing the ‘Parivartan Lao, Kisan Bachao Yatra’, the Aam Aadmi Party national convenor questioned the credibility of Gujarat’s prohibition policy, claiming illegal liquor is widely available across the state.
“They say alcohol is banned in Gujarat. But liquor is sold openly. There is even home delivery of liquor. Make a phone call and it reaches your house. Where does the money from this illegal trade go? It goes straight to party leaders,” Kejriwal alleged.
Using the issue to target the political establishment, he said both the BJP and Congress had failed the people of Gujarat despite dominating the state’s politics for decades.
‘30 years of BJP rule, but farmers still suffering’
Kejriwal urged people to uproot the BJP government that has ruled Gujarat for nearly three decades, claiming the state had seen little real progress under its leadership.
“Farmers are in distress everywhere, but farmers in Gujarat are crying tears of blood. The BJP has ruled for 30 years but done nothing for them. Instead, they have looted Gujarat,” he said.
He also accused the government of suppressing dissent.
“Anyone who raises a voice against them is picked up and sent to jail. False cases are filed and people are imprisoned,” he said.
‘They called me a thief, court called me honest’
Referring to allegations made against him in the past, Kejriwal said he had been falsely accused in a liquor scam case.
“They accused me of taking ₹100 crore in a liquor scam and called me a thief. But the court said Kejriwal is ‘kattar imaandaar’. The Aam Aadmi Party is ‘kattar imaandaar’,” he said.
‘Exams have become a joke in Gujarat’
Kejriwal also criticised the Gujarat government over repeated exam paper leaks, claiming the system had completely collapsed.
“Exams have become a joke in Gujarat. I was Chief Minister of Delhi for 10 years and not a single exam paper leaked there. Our government has been in Punjab for five years and not a single paper leak has happened there either,” he said.
He further alleged that leaders from the BJP and Congress were working together while ordinary citizens continued to struggle.
“Leaders of the BJP and Congress run joint businesses and own properties worth crores. But is the common man progressing?” he asked.
‘This time, people will be the engines’
Kejriwal said the next government in Gujarat would not be the BJP’s much-publicised “triple-engine government”.
“This time it will be a multiple-engine government — farmers, traders, women and youth will be the engines. Those who have looted Gujarat will be held accountable and sent to jail,” he said.
Meanwhile, AAP MLA Gopal Italia criticised the state budget, claiming rural areas were being neglected.
“In the latest budget, ₹33,000 crore has been allocated for urban development while villages have received only ₹14,000 crore. People in villages vote for the BJP but the government continues to ignore them,” he alleged.
AAP MLAs Chaitar Vasava and Hemant Khawa also criticised the government during the rally.
Also Read: Gujarat: BJP Worker Held Smuggling Alcohol From Rajasthan https://www.vibesofindia.com/gujarat-bjp-worker-held-smuggling-alcohol-from-rajasthan/
