PATNA: Former union minister and senior BJP leader R K Singh has called for doing away with prohibition in Bihar "in the larger interest" of the people.
Speaking at a function in Bihar’s Bhojpur district, Singh said on Sunday that prohibition has its adverse impact on youth as a majority of them were involved in bootlegging to make a fast buck and also in other unlawful activities.
“Sharab bandhi naujawan ko barbad kar raha hain (prohibition is spoiling the career of youth),” he said, adding that not only the youth but also public servants and policemen were hands-in-glove with liquor mafias to earn quick money.
He alleged that prohibition has forfeited to serve its purpose as liquor was available everywhere and even at the doorsteps of the people.
“The motive behind the liquor ban was to stop consumption of alcohol and improve the living condition of the victims and their families,” the former Ara MP said.
He demanded Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to review his decision on liquor ban.
“A large section of people is involved in sale of illicit alcohol. Their career is being ruined as they are falling prey to the hardcore gangsters for money,” he added.
“Prohibition has, in fact, failed to serve its purpose in Bihar. It is better to abolish it through proper means,” Singh said and added that the real story of prohibition in Bihar is different from what is being presented before the chief minister.
The former union minister said that prohibition in Bihar would have been successful, had the government implemented it strictly in the initial phase. “The method used to impose liquor ban in a state like Bihar was wrong,’ he asserted. The government lacked proper management to deal with the situation. “The reality is that prohibition is on the papers only. Had there been a good management, prohibition would have been successful in Bihar,” he remarked.
The former MP’s sudden outburst, however, embarrassed JD(U), a major ally of ruling NDA. JD(U) spokesperson Abhishek Jha said that liquor ban would continue in the state. “The decision to implement prohibition was taken unanimously,” he asserted.
He said, “The state government is very particular about prohibition. The question of abolishing it doesn’t arise,” he said, adding that prohibition was enforced with people’s consensus. Public representatives of all political parties had given their consent,” he remarked.
Earlier, union minister and Hindustan Awam Morcha patron Jitan Ram Manjhi had demanded review of new excise and prohibition policy. He had observed that majority of the people put behind the bars for consuming alcohol came from economic backward sections of the society.
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor had announced earlier that prohibition will be removed from Bihar within 15 minutes of formation of its new government after 2025 assembly election. “The state is incurring a huge loss of revenue due to stubbornness of the chief minister,” he added.
Leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had earlier advocated giving relaxations in the existing prohibition policy to toddy trippers.