The BJP in Goa hasn’t yet come to terms with the political fallout of the Supreme Court’s order that no licenses for liquor shops would be given within 5000 meters from national or state highways including approach roads. As Goa braces itself for the full impact of this order – which is nothing short of a kick in the solar plexus, for thousands of families – there is another, potentially more long term and politically threatening one which is brewing. Liquor traders and shopkeepers, many of them staunch supporters and even members and office bearers of the BJP, agree that a much stronger government intervention was needed when the case of State of Tamil Nadu versus K Balu & ANR and others, arising out of several Special Leave Petitions was being heard. The Goa government advice to the liquor traders to go to court now has peeved many of its closest trader supporters who feel that the party has left them high and, quite literally dry.
There is no evidence of this needed when you have senior BJP member Gaurish Dhond as the Convenor of Goa Highway Affected Liquor Vendors Association (GHALVA) and the BJP candidate from Taleigao Dattaprasad Naik as the President of Goa Liquor Traders Association (GLTA). And both of them are clear that business is bigger than the BJP. Both Naik and Dhond, known to be in one of Mr Parrikar’s innermost circles, expect much more from the government. In fact they are now border line critics, on this issue, especially with regard to who should take the lead in going to court, the Government or traders.
Naik, speaking to journalists in Vasco said, “We have seen what happened to the review petition filed by Pondicherry Liquor Traders Association it has been thrown out by the Supreme Court. Just eight days ago, the Maharashtra Liquor Traders Association filed a review petition and they have been given dates. If we do the same we will be given dates and the matter will prolong for years,” making it clear that it is the government that has to file the review petition and traders have to be made a party.
As we have reported, Gaurish Dhond, key stake holder and another senior member of Goa’s hospitality industry said, “Government should be serious about taking up the matter in the SC. Let the new government be formed so that we approach it to challenge the order.”
Meanwhile the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) have been repeatedly seeking the government’s intervention citing costs. What is keeping them from filing an appeal is the high costs.
The underlying trend emerging from these statements and conversations is that there is a sense of unease and unhappiness, with the outgoing government being held responsible. It’s another matter that this issue has been brewing for a decade now. But BJP supporters in the business find it impossible to accept that the all powerful Modi government cannot find a way to reduce the pain threshold of all liquor businessmen and finding ways to cut down the list of victims, by de notifying approach and others roads from the list of highways and state highways.
The impending doom of businesses getting shut is the biggest jolt to many BJP members and even office bearers. And if not sorted out, this grudge will remain. The impact of this will be felt in the panchayat elections as well as in the civic body elections which will happen, spread over time.
