Jaipur: Speaker C P Joshi’s comments that “the government acts only on complaints” held up a mirror to the functioning of the government, BJP MLA Nirmal Kumawat said when he received this reply to his question on wine shops and advertisements put up by liquor shops along national highways in violation of Supreme Court guidelines.
Kumawat said on the highways, wine shops give big advertisements about kilometre before shops like “Apke nazar kidhar hai, theka idhar hai” defeating the very purpose of the Supreme Court order. He asked is it in order to allow such advertisements.
Excise minister Parsadi Lal Meena, while denying the violations, said he received no complaints in this regard from the MLAs and that his department will investigate the issue if it receives complaints. The MLA then asked why the department officials cannot act on their own.
The Speaker replied, “The government acts only on complaints.” The house bursts into laughter.
The minister said that under the Rajasthan Excise Rules and the decision of the Supreme Court, the location of liquor shops on national and state highways is 500 meter and 200 meter from public places like schools, hospitals.
Kumawat said on the highways, wine shops give big advertisements about kilometre before shops like “Apke nazar kidhar hai, theka idhar hai” defeating the very purpose of the Supreme Court order. He asked is it in order to allow such advertisements.
Excise minister Parsadi Lal Meena, while denying the violations, said he received no complaints in this regard from the MLAs and that his department will investigate the issue if it receives complaints. The MLA then asked why the department officials cannot act on their own.
The Speaker replied, “The government acts only on complaints.” The house bursts into laughter.
The minister said that under the Rajasthan Excise Rules and the decision of the Supreme Court, the location of liquor shops on national and state highways is 500 meter and 200 meter from public places like schools, hospitals.
