Education in AAP govt words, liquor in work: Union minister Anurag Thakur

New Delhi: Education may feature prominently in the words of the Aam Aadmi Party but it is "liquor" which drives their work, Union minister Anurag Thakur said on Friday as the BJP kept its attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia over the alleged excise scam. He said the AAP government in Delhi did not make "pathshala" (schools) but opened many "madhushala" (liquor vends) and questioned the "silence" of Kejriwal and Sisodia to the queries raised by him over the "scam", now being probed by the CBI.

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"The liquor scam has unmasked the AAP and showed how it is neck-deep in corruption. Why are its leaders not answering the questions raised by us over its excise policy," Thakur said. The AAP government should answer as to why Rs 144 crore was returned to liquor dealers besides Rs 30 crore earnest money, he asked. "If the excise policy was correct, then why was it withdrawn? The truth is serious corruption has occurred. Their health minister is in jail on corruption charges and the 'liquor minister' is under probe. What kind of impact such a minister will have on education," Thakur said.

Sisodia is in charge of excise as well as education ministries. If a minister is busy expanding liquor stores, then can he be expected to focus on education, Thakur said. With the AAP government claiming to have made a big impact on the education sector , he said, "Education is in their words while it is liquor which drives their work."