“Kejriwal government has ruined the essence of Delhi by opening liquor shops, thekas, and allowing liquor mafias to open outlets in the city. These people should be thrown away from the power”, these were the words of local residents in Govindpuri a few months back when a liquor shop was being opened in front of the Maharaja Agrasen College. Locals including women had sat on dharna to protest against opening of the shop. “We are scared not only for our own children but in general as a large number of young boys and girls come here and stay in the paying guest accommodations across the area. Liquor shops would bring anti-socials and it will create a security breach”, said Kumar, an elderly citizen.

Not just Govindpuri or Kalkaji, this was the situation across entire Delhi. Liquor shops would come up at every nook and corner in the city. Many Residential Welfare Associations (RWA) had raised their voices and compelled the shops to close down. In this context, I recall another shop a little away from this place (near Gali No 12 or 13 in Govindpuri), as locals had come out on the streets and created a menace out of it.

It was during this time I had the opportunity to attend the Press Conference at the Pant Marg office of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was held to discuss how Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had allegedly flouted the masterplan of Delhi to accommodate the liquor mafias. The Press Conference was attended by Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, and the four Mayors of Delhi. “We have found serious anomalies by AAP in order to help the liquor mafias to enter Delhi from outside states”, said Bidhuri. “There has been a tampering with Delhi’s masterplan as you are aware that in delhi no liquor shop or theka can open if there is a religious place or educational institutions and even residential areas within the 100 metre radius but shops and thekas are being open all over”, added Bidhuri.

Today, after the BJP’s stings on AAP, its clear why AAP had to enter into this filthy game of liquor politics allegedly.Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal had announced that his party would contest each and every elections in the country. The party needed money to contest the Assembly polls in Punjab and Goa.