In his letter to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Mumbai social activist Anna Hazare sharply criticised Kejriwal’s government for its liquor policy. This was Anna’s first letter to Arvind Kejriwal ever since he joined office. Hazare mentioned that Kejriwal has forgotten what all he wrote in his book ‘Swaraj’ and is ‘drunk on power’. On Tuesday while speaking to the media, Hazare stated, “I haven’t sent Kejriwal a letter since he became chief minister, but because this is such a serious social issue, I decided to speak out. The Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 is utterly wrong and will destroy families, particularly women. It is because of this policy, our youth, our country’s power, would be destroyed.”

Further accusing Kejriwal of not being willing to talk, Hazare also pointed out that in his book ‘Swaraj’ , Kejriwal suggested solutions to many problems which led to people putting their faith in him. However, it seems like he left his ideology behind after he became the chief minister of Delhi. In his book, ‘Swaraj,’ Kejriwal described how liquor licences are obtained by bribing authorities on the suggestions of politicians. The proliferation of alcohol stores, for which no vote is held, corrupts families. Kejriwal’s answer to the problem was to provide liquor store licences only with the permission of the relevant gramme panchayat and 90% of women attending the gramme sabha. 

CM Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia were a part of Hazare’s Jan Andolan to fight for the Lokpal in the country in the year 2012. Remembering and highlighting that Anna Hazare said, “On September 18, 2012, AAP proposed a political route during a Team Anna meet. You forgot that the movement’s goal was not to become a political party. There was a need to educate and raise awareness among the general people. If it had been done, the country would not have adopted a wrong alcohol policy.” 

The Kejriwal-led cabinet approved the liquor policy in 2021. However, the government withdrew it after a complaint was filed by the CBI alleging corruption in the liquor policy.

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