PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar began his ‘Nischay Yatra’ (Tour of Resolve) on Wednesday from West Champaran district and made an impassioned appeal to Bihar’s people, especially women, at a massive rally to help make the implementation of prohibition in the state “historically successful”. The main Opposition BJP appeared jittery over Kumar’s rally.
Addressing the rally at Bettiah, headquarters town of the northern district from where Mahatma Gandhi had begun his iconic campaign for social reform and India’s independence from British colonial rule a hundred years ago, an effusive Kumar claimed prohibition has brought about numerous benefits for Bihar’s people in the past seven months since its implementation.
“As high as Rs 10,000 crore used to be spent by the people on consumption of alcoholic liquor. Now that much money is being saved. Since April, the sale of milk has gone up by 11 per cent in Bihar. Also the sale of sweets, honey and other eatables has gone up considerably,” said Kumar, who was accompanied by deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav.
“Critics are saying the prohibition law is not workable and so it should be scrapped. They are repeatedly saying so instead of offering feedback or suggestions. But we will implement the law in the strongest manner... We will not allow smuggling of liquor inside the state and the likely entry of inter-state smuggling gangs. I appeal to women to inform the authorities about alcohol consumption in their area and to take alcoholics to deaddiction centres,” added Kumar.
He reminded women, who formed the bulk of the audience at the rally christened ‘Chetna Rally’ (awareness rally), that it was on a call from women in July 2015 that he had decided to implement prohibition if elected again. “I took oath on November 20 and announced on November 28 that prohibition would be implemented from April 1,” said Kumar, arguing that prohibition has remained a success in Bihar in the past seven months.
“In Gujarat, where prohibition has been in place since the beginning, calls were made at a massive rally recently for prohibition to be implemented like in Bihar. Now Gujaratis have demanded a strong prohibition law like in Bihar,” said Kumar in an oblique critique of BJP, whose leaders have been critical of the prohibition law in Bihar.
During the four-day yatra that would cover four northern districts, Kumar would inspect implementation of rural infrastructure schemes such as piped water connections to homes and construction of toilets.
BJP leaders were vocal in criticising the rationale behind the tour. “His (Kumar’s) seven so-called resolves are eyewash. The state government is seeking credit for schemes of the central government,” said Prem Kumar, leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly during a demonstration against the government.
“The CM should instead review implementation of schemes for which he had erected foundation stones in Bihar’s rural areas during his previous nine such tours. The grand alliance government cannot hide its failure by the CM’s statewide tours,” said senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.