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| JWTA calls for 3-day closure of wine shops in Jammu | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 11: Jammu Wine Traders Association (JWTA) has called for 3-day closure of wine shops in Jammu against the New Excise Policy and the failure of the Excise Department to provide them with MRPs to sell the stocks available with them.
Addressing a news conference here the traders said, “ During the past 11-days there has been a revenue loss of at least 100 crores due to incompetence of the officials of the Excsie Department.”
“The new policy was announced on March 31 and it was implemented on April 1. With the new policy coming into force many things changed like MRP, labels and fee structure. If the government had to implement the policy on April 1 why didn’t the department make the preparations in advance? We can’t sell the stocks lying in our shops as there is no MRP. Neither can we buy any new stocks of high brands as we have no idea about the selling price.”
They said, “Despite license holders collecting revenue for the government for so many years they are being pushed to the wall. Despite we having enough stocks we are unable to sell these. Is this not a crime under consumer act?”
“If anyone selling sand enters into any sort of brawl with anyone he is provided security as he collects revenue for the state. We too were collecting revenue for the government but see how we are being dealt with,” they said.
“If the government fails to declare the MRPs in the next three days the strike won’t remain confined to license holders only. Entire Jammu will observe the strike. This is not our fight only. We are fighting for the rights of the entire Jammu,” the traders said.
Replying to a query whether they have taken the Jammu Chamber of Commerce into confidence before calling for Jammu bandh after three days, the traders said, “We have learnt from our experiences. Today we are facing victimization tomorrow traders from other communities can also meet the same fate. The Chamber will have to call for Jammu bandh to save all the traders in Jammu.”
Asked about their meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the traders said, “We had met the LG and had sought 2-year time to understand this new policy.
He (LG) had assured us that he will look into the matter but till date nothing has been done.”
The traders said that “to cast a vote in BJP’s favour was their biggest mistake.”
“What has BJP done for us? Since the day Article 370 has been revoked we have been shattered. No youth has been employed and now the livelihood of 3000 to 4000 people is being snatched. We don’t understand what BJP wants to do with Jammu.”
Asked about the pre-bidding meeting held in Nagrotra on Saturday, they said, “ It didn’t serve any purpose.
This policy will render us as well as the generation next jobless.
The new policy has been devised with an intention to dismantle the wine trade that is being managed by the people from Jammu region. Even if someone succeeds in clearing the bid, he will run away after a few months. It seems that the government wants the people of Jammu to abandon this trade, so that it can later hold district wise bids like Punjab and Haryana.”
They said, “People of Jammu don’t have that much capital. The new policy is a ploy to pave the way for the people from other states to come and take over this trade.”
They alleged, “A few people from the government have struck deals with the big people. They want us to quit so that they get whatever they want. In the recent past most of the mining contracts in Jammu have been given to outsiders and they are calling the shots. Mining trade has been snatched from people of Jammu and now the same is being done with the wine trade.”
They said, “All options, including knocking the door of the Supreme Court, are open for us. We won’t participate in the e-bidding process as we are license holders. Participating in e-bidding means committing a suicide.”
Referring to the High Court judgment, they said, “The High Court has only said that renewing license for 5-years needs to be reviewed. The court judgment is not against us.”
The traders said, “We request the Lieutenant Governor to review the new policy and call us for clarification.”
They said, “For the past 11-days we have not received the MRPs. The incompetent people are heading the Excise Department.
In the past 11-days Rs 100 crore revenue has been lost and if the MRP is not fixed the government will face more revenue losses.”
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