Liquor prohibition policy: Bihar BJP leaders, including Union minister Giriraj Singh, on Wednesday asked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to reconsider the prohibition policy in the state, claiming that it has failed with illegal sale of spurious liquor causing frequent deaths and a rise in crimes linked to it.
On Wednesday, at least 20 people have died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Bihar's Saran district. "Every day people in Bihar are dying due to spurious liquor while Kumar remains obstinate about his policy which has failed. Crime is on the rise. Liquor has become like God which may not be visible but is present everywhere in the state," Singh said.
Singh told reporters outside Parliament that Kumar should convene an all-party meeting on the issue and take a decision accordingly. "If a policy is not successful, then it should be reconsidered," he said.
Pataliputra MP and former Union minister Ram Kripal Yadav echoed Singh's view and said the chief minister should not make prohibition a matter of personal prestige. "He should either implement it effectively or resign," he added.
He also slammed the Janata Dal (United) leader as Kumar flew into a rage over BJP members' attack on his government in the state assembly over the deaths allegedly due to spurious liquor, saying this "tasteless" conduct showed his frustration as his hold on power has become more tenuous. The second day of Bihar Assembly Winter Session witnessed noisy scenes with the ruling coalition and opposition BJP firing charges at each other. Both sides' heated exchange of words also saw Chief Minister Nitish Kumar losing his cool. The chief minister hit back at the BJP leaders, saying, "sharab bandhi ke paksh mein sab tha ki nahi? kya ho gaya...kya ho gaya...tum bol rhe ho zehreeli sharaab... (everyone was in favour of prohibition...what happened now...you are talking about spurious liquor?)"
Yadav said the administrative system in Bihar has "sold out" to liquor mafia with a large section of young population turning to even more dangerous products to get a high.
(With PTI inputs)
