‘Liquor, drugs available freely in state’

Gujarat assembly witnessed heated discussion on Wednesday over the issue of liquor and narcotics. Congress MLA Amit Chavda said that while a section of the police force was working with honesty, there were cops who were shielding criminals. "Based on Mahatma's ideals, prohibition is in place since Gujarat was formed. BJP has been in power for three decades and liquor is sold in every part of the state. In rural areas, chemical-based liquor is being sold," Chavda said, adding this was happening because cops were taking "protection money". MoS home Harsh Sanghavi interrupted Chavda's speech, saying, "Chavda cannot make unsubstantiated allegations . Assembly is not a press conference venue ." Chavda alleged Gujarat has become a hub of narcotics and that the ports accounted for more than Rs 7,000 crore of the total Rs 11,000 crore worth of narcotics seized in the state. tnn