gandhinagar although the government has permitted sale of liquor from authorized permit shops across the state during lockdown 40 the government has not allowed liquor permit shops to function where health liquor permit holders can avail liquor foreigners and those living temporarily in gujarat are also facing hardships in procuring liquor in an authorised manner and are being forced to purchase liquor from bootleggersanmol joshi name changed a real estate professional who is a liquor permit holder for the past 10 years said we are being harassed for the past two months for no reason and being treated as if we are criminals people like me have been advised consumption of limited quantities of liquor by doctors for health reasons he added that even during the lockdown a doctor has prescribed consumption of liquor to maintain his health despite this i am not getting liquor in an authorised manner and i have been forced to purchase it from a bootlegger at three or four times the price he saidasking how the government could force people to purchase liquor illegally when they have been advised to consume limited quantities by doctors the real estate professional said if paan shops which are selling harmful products are being allowed to function why liquor shops are not being allowed he askedliquor shop owners have been getting frantic calls from permit holders who have not been given their quota of liquor over the past two months gujarat has a prohibition policy and if liquor permits are issued for a health reason liquor stores should be allowed to resume operations other states have allowed operation of liquor stores said narendra somani president hotels and restaurants association hra gujarat liquor store owners also said that keeping stores shut will be a loss to the state exchequer