Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut takes a dig at govt, likens liquor hysteria to funeral

Days after the government eased restrictions on the sale of alcohol, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a sarcastic dig at the Centre said that only 20 people are allowed to attend a funeral but 1,000 people can gather near an alcohol shop.

“Only 20 people allowed to gather for a funeral – because the spirit has already left the body. 1000’s allowed to gather near an alcohol shop, because the shops have spirits in them,” Raut tweeted.

On May 5, Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said: “To maintain social distancing, gathering of not more than 50 persons are allowed at wedding functions and not more than 20 persons at last rites of deceased persons.”

Seeing the spiraling economy, the government recently decided to allow the sale of liquor – a move heartily welcomed by the people.

Liquor is a major source of revenue for most of the states and Maharashtra earned around ₹45,000 crore in the form of taxes on it in 2019-20, an official from state excise department told LiveMint.

However, after witnessing lengthy queues in front of liquor shops, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal government have permitted home delivery of liquor.

Related news: Maharashtra’s COVID-19 situation matter of concern: Harsh Vardhan

On Friday, the Supreme Court had asked states to consider online sales and home delivery of liquor during the lockdown period to prevent the spread of coronavirus due to crowding at the shops.

The total number of COVID-19 cases reached 19,063 on Friday in Maharashtra with the death toll at 731.

Owing to the worsening situation of the state, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray hinted at lockdown extension in hotspots Mumbai and Pune.