JAMMU: Former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta has urged the Government to revisit decision on e-auction of liquor shops in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
Interacting with a delegation of wine traders, which came to his residence, the senior BJP functionary said that the reason behind abrogation of Article 370 was to provide equal rights to the people of J&K. “Taking away their livelihood was not the purpose of this momentous step taken by the BJP Government in the Centre”, he said, adding that there are families of martyrs who got the wine shop licenses and some getting petrol pumps and snatching back the same is not at all justified.
He also urged the Government to reconsider its decision as opening of liquor vends on the pattern of Punjab and other States is neither viable nor advisable in J&K since every street and lane here has a temple or other religious destinations, and mushroom growth of liquor vends will hurt the sentiments of the people here. Earlier, the wine traders’ delegation submitted a charter of demands to former Deputy Chief Minister projecting their burning demands over the adoption of new excise policy especially after change in status of J&K from State to Union Territory.
After going through the demands raised by the wine traders’ delegation, Kavinder assured that he will take up the matter with the concerned quarters and hopefully convince the helmsmen to review the matter and come up with a people friendly decision so that justice is delivered to one and all.
He said that he is confident that government will not take any decision having scope to mar the deliverance of justice in any manner.
