JOIN USAam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday hit out at Gujarat government for its prohibition policy.
This comes after the AAP actively supported the Patidar quota stir and the Dalit movement that gathered steam in the state after the public flogging of four youths at Una in Gir-Somnath district of Saurashtra region on July 11.
“Some people from Gujarat met me this morning and informed me as if rivers of alcohol are flowing in the state. I was surprised as Gujarat has prohibition. However, they informed me that it is home delivered and everyone from police to administration is hand in glove, collecting money,” Kejriwal said in a video message shared by AAP via social media.
Wednesday’s message by Kejriwal could be a step by AAP to win over sizeable OBC community in the state.
The OBC community, led by Alpesh Thakor, has been trying to build a pressure group by covertly using the issue of prohibition in the state. He has even organised “Janta Raids” on liquor dens in the state. All this, after quota stir by Patidars seeking OBC status gained momentum in the state. The OBC community feels that if demand of Patels is met, they could eat in to their share of reservations.
“Alpesh Thakor is doing a good job on the issue of prohibition and encouraging people against addiction. He has taken the issue across the state but the administration must act firmly to curb this menace,” Kejriwal said in his message.
The message by AAP supremo also comes on the day Alpesh Thakor was in Banaskantha district of North Gujarat, where a policeman from Thakor community allegedly committed suicide due to harassment by his colleagues at behest of liquor mafia.
Alpesh has issued an ultimatum to the state government to nab those named by policeman in his suicide note else they would burn effigies across all the districts of the state in protest.