Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nishikant Dubey has urged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to amend the law that imposes a blanket ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in the state. Dubey, a Lok Sabha MP from Godda in Jharkhand, said that the ban has given rise to illegal supply channels from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bengal, and even Nepal.
According to his argument, the state is losing out on all revenue from liquor sales.
"I request Bihar Chief Minister Ntish Kumar to amend the prohibition law. Those who consume liquor are still able to do so via Nepal, Bengal, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh," he tweeted.
"This is causing revenue loss to the state. The hotel industry is also facing the heat. Besides, it is giving rise to corruption," Dubey added.
Bihar is among a few states in the country where liquor is banned. The law was enacted by the Nitish Kumar government in 2016.
The Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act has stringent punishments for violators. While the first time offenders may not face a mandatory jail term, the law has a provision of a minimum of 10 years of jail which extends to life term.
The new law came into effect from April 1, 2016. Banning liquor was a key poll promise made by Kumar ahead of the 2015 Assembly polls.
Nitish Kumar has time and again advocated for a nationwide ban on liquor and argued that Bihar has emerged a role model by banning sale and consumption of alcohol as delegations from many states have been visiting the state to study its policy.
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