Opposing the state government’s decision to allow sale and consumption of alcohol at GIFT City near Gandhinagar, the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) women wing state president, Reshma Patel, said on Saturday that Gujarat doesn’t want guests who demand to be welcomed by bottles of liquor. She also accused the BJP of becoming “a party for bootleggers”, which allegedly no longer thinks about the impact of such decisions on women’s safety. The party also threatened to launch a protest if the decision was not withdrawn. Citing a “purpose to provide a global business ecosystem", the state government had on Friday exempted GIFT City from prohibition. While “liquor access permits” will be given to owners and employees of companies in GIFT City, these companies can “authorise” visitors with “temporary permits” to “drink in the presence of the permanent employees”. Patel addressed mediapersons in Junagadh with a black bandana tied on her head. Maintaining that AAP want’s a Gujarat where prohibition law is enforced vigorously, she said, “The BJP has decided to remove Prohibition Act from GIFT City without giving any thought to the safety of sisters and daughters of Gujarat. It appears that builders’ BJP has now become a party for bootleggers.” She added that the decision has been taken to increase the sale of liquor. Patel demanded that the state government should withdraw the decision, else the AAP will launch an agitation. “We will hit the streets,” she said. Patel claimed that liquor is freely sold in Gujarat, the native state of father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi and iron man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. “There are acts and rules in Gujarat. There is a prohibition law. Yet, in Gandhi and Sardar’s Gujarat, liquor is being sold freely. Home delivery is being made of foreign liquor. country liquor is also being sold. Hooch tragedies are happening. Daughters and sisters are not safe on roads and in their homes.” Taking on the BJP government in the state for stating that prohibition law was being relaxed in view of foreigners visiting GIFT City, Patel said: “The BJP's rationale that it is allowing liquor consumption due to foreign visitors is shameful. In Gujarat, it is customary to welcome guests by performing namaskar and offering them tea and water. But if we have to welcome guests with liquor, we don’t want such guests in Gujarat.”
