PATNA: The hooch tragedy in Bihar’s East Champaran district has again triggered a political debate as at least 28 people lost their lives after allegedly consuming spurious liquor. On the other hand, district officials are claiming that only 14 people have died allegedly after consuming spurious liquor. Former deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Tarkishore Prasad asked the state government to call an all party meeting and review its prohibition policy in view of the hooch tragedies.
He alleged that prohibition had completely failed in Bihar as the government had also adopted an insensitive attitude towards deaths in the hooch tragedies, taking place in various districts at
regular intervals. “Hooch tragedies are happening due to the nexus between the government machinery and liquor mafia,” he alleged.
After all, what is the pressure on Nitish government that it is unable to take action against liquor mafia, Prasad asked while sharpening his attack on the state government. Former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha founder Jitan Ram Manjhi also demanded an all-party meeting on prohibition as the poor were falling prey to unabated bootlegging in ‘dry’ state. “I have been demanding an all-party meeting from the very beginning. People belonging to lower strata of society are the worst sufferers,” he told the media on sidelines of East Champaran hooch tragedy.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on Saturday commented, “I have always been saying that liquor is bad and shouldn’t be consumed. I have asked authorities to take strict action against those who violate prohibition laws”. The state government imposed a total ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol on April 5, 2016.