PATNA: The Bihar government on Thursday rejected demands for reviewing the decade-old prohibition law in the state, contending that the ban on liquor was imposed after taking all political parties into confidence.
“It was a unanimous decision of all parties,” state parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said, while turning down the demand for review of the law.
On Wednesday, union minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) patron Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rastriya Lok Morcha (RLM) MLA Madhav Anand, both part of the ruling NDA, had sought a review of the prohibition policy, maintaining that it has caused immense financial losses to the state.
Manjhi made the demand for a review of the liquor ban while talking to media persons in Gaya.
Both Manjhi and Anand claimed that the state had to roughly incur a loss of over Rs.3,000 crore per annum due to the liquor ban.
The huge financial loss due to the liquor ban is also taking its toll on the state’s development, the leaders said, adding that it was high time to review the law in the larger interest of the state.
Manjhi pointed out that illegal home deliveries of liquor continued across the state, impacting lower-income communities.
MLA Anand suggested that increasing awareness might be more effective than a total ban. Both leaders demanded assessing the law's holistic impact, including revenue loss, public health, crime rates, and youth addiction trends.
Responding to Manjhi and State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said, “Law was passed in the state legislature after taking all the parties onboard. There should be no question of reviewing it.”
Rural Works Department Minister Ashok Choudhary also set aside the demands for a review of the prohibition law.
Earlier, Congress MLA Abhishek Ranjan also demanded a review of the law. He alleged that liquor is being delivered to homes across Bihar and claimed that, on demand, alcohol could even reach the Assembly.
He said if blood tests of MLAs were conducted, the reality of the law’s implementation would be exposed. Extending his support for a review, AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman said that not only alcohol but also drug use is on the rise in the state, which is a matter of serious concern.
“Since leaders of the ruling party themselves have demanded a review of prohibition, it makes it clear that the drug trade is flourishing in Bihar. The new generation is becoming its victim. Prohibition must be reviewed,” he added.