Bhubaneswar: State govt’s decision to allow liquor sales in tetra packs has sparked a political row with opposition BJD calling the move unethical and anti-youth. Ruling BJP rejected the allegations as hypocritical, claiming the policy began under the previous govt.At a press conference on Monday, opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik demanded that the decision be withdrawn, alleging BJP went back on its election promise to make Odisha liquor-free. Mallik said the govt was encouraging consumption despite campaigning against liquor, and pointed to excise revenue crossing Rs 10,000 crore for the first time.BJD also objected to the reopening of 70 liquor shops it said were earlier shut by the previous govt, introduction of new varieties such as mahuli, ragi and odourless liquor, and the portability of tetra packs, warning it could increase access among students and youth. The party said it would launch statewide protests if the decision was not rolled back.BJP cited the state’s earlier excise policies, with MLA Tankadhar Tripathy saying liquor in tetra packs was introduced in the 2023-24 policy under the BJD govt and continued in 2024-25.Tripathy said liquor was sold in tetra packs during Naveen Patnaik’s tenure and questioned why the BJD leadership did not oppose it then. “Now Pramila Mallik is opposing the same policy. Why did she not raise her voice when the Naveen govt introduced it?” asked Tripathy.BJP spokesperson Sujit Kumar Das said that the numbers presented by the BJD leadership were misleading. “The opposition is welcome to criticise the govt in a constructive way; but they are indulging in misleading the people with manufactured facts and false representation,” he said.Excise minister Prithiviraj Harichandan defended the move in the assembly as part of modernisation, arguing tetra packs are more environmentally friendly than glass bottles, reduce breakage-related injuries, and make waste handling easier.Since the rollout began in 2023, 180 ml tetra packs, particularly of rum, are widely available at retail outlets across the state.
