Gujarat Elections: FIR Against BJP Candidate Latubhai Parghi For Promising Open Liquor Sale

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate in the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections has put the party in an embarrassing situation after he promised open sale of liquor and got an FIR registered against him.

BJP's Latubhai Parghi is the party's candidate for Danta seat in Bansaskantha district. He said liquor will be sold openly. As a result, an FIR was lodged against him for indulging in "corrupt practices". 

Gujarat has a sumptuary law in force that proscribes the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. 

Parghi's video of making the promise in a public meeting on November 26 went viral. He purportedly told a group of women they will be allowed to sell liquor openly in a basket and need not hide it. 

"Liquor will be made available without the need for secrecy," said Parghi, as per the FIR.

The complaint was lodged against Parghi by Returning Officer (RO) Harshaben Raval at Danta Police Station on Tuesday. The complainant provided the police with the CD containing the video of the speech made by the Danta candidate, a police official said.

Parghi has been booked under section 171B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with bribery, and section 123 of the Representation of the People Act dealing with corrupt practices such as bribery.

Polling for 182 Assembly constituencies in Gujarat will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5. Danta seat goes to polls in the second phase along with 92 constituencies. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.

Liquor prohibition has been in force in Gujarat since its formation in 1960. As per the law, the consumption, manufacturing and sale of liquor are prohibited and the violation can attract 7-10 years of jail and the death penalty if a person dies after consuming spurious liquor. 

(With PTI inputs)