Patna: Setting apart his robust stand on liquor, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday introduced to supply Rs 4 lakh ex gratia every to those that misplaced their lives in hooch poisonings after the imposition of prohibition of alcohol in April 2016.
“It’s the poor who’re dying on account of consumption of liquor. It’s unlucky. However they’re additionally part of our society,” the Bihar chief minister mentioned, including that he nonetheless was strongly in favour of prohibition.
“However because the final three years I’ve witnessed folks dying on account of consumption of liquor regardless of my persuasion to not take alcohol,” he mentioned, stressing that the chief secretary was directed to carry a gathering and resolve the formalities.
In accordance with knowledgeable sources, the affected households should apply to the district Justice of the Peace and show that the demise has occurred on account of liquor consumption.
Made within the backdrop of the hooch tragedy at Motihari in East Champaran district, Nitish’s announcement was a U-turn from his stand in December, when over 100 died in Saran district after consuming illicit liquor.
Because the tragedy occurred when the Winter session of the Bihar meeting was on, the Opposition had piled up stress on Nitish. However he had dominated out any compensation, saying that “Jo piyega, so marega (Those that drink will die).”
The CM had then additionally brushed apart the plea of Congress chief Ajit Sharma within the Meeting for a evaluation of the anti-liquor regulation.
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Why Nitish is on the backfoot
BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi instructed ThePrint that Nitish was pressured to take a again step because the prohibition was affecting him politically.
“The worst hit by the regulation are the poor belonging to Dalit and backward communities. Numerous voters who’ve been hit by the prohibition rule at the moment are beginning to vote in opposition to him, and this was witnessed in Kurhani bypoll in December final yr. He has been beneath great stress from even his allies. Not solely Congress, HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi has been overtly demanding the scrapping of the regulation,” the previous deputy CM added.
Welcoming the announcement, Modi mentioned there was a catch to it. “The state has been suppressing the variety of deaths in hooch tragedies. The human rights fee put the Saran hooch tragedy at 76, whereas the state is claiming 43. Usually, there is no such thing as a autopsy and the way does one anticipate the poor to give you related paperwork,” he mentioned.
Since April 1, 2016 — when prohibition regulation was launched — Bihar has been witnessing small and massive hooch tragedies. In 2023, in line with native media, the demise toll has already crossed 40.
Diluting the regulation
When the regulation was enforced in 2016, it was dubbed draconian because it had provisions having jail sentences as much as 10 years, sealing of campuses the place liquor was discovered and confiscation of automobiles.
In accordance with the excise division, round 4.5 lakh folks have been arrested till now for violation of liquor legal guidelines.
In 2022, the Supreme Court docket had pulled up the Bihar authorities for jamming the judicial system with anti-liquor instances. The japanese state then determined to impose a high quality of Rs 2,000-Rs 5,000 for first-time offenders, as an alternative of sending them to jail.
“Now that Nitish has softened up on the anti-liquor legal guidelines, there may be hope that all the regulation might be relooked. “The aim for which prohibition was imposed has not been achieved. Then again, use of medication among the many youth has elevated. It’s time for Nitishji to take a relook into the entire coverage as a result of it’s the downtrodden who’ve suffered probably the most,” mentioned Upendra Prasad, a former MLC and member of the nationwide govt of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
“It’s time for a whole evaluation although it doesn’t imply full withdrawal. However even among the many ruling alliance, there are variations. Tejashwi doesn’t have the identical ardour for prohibition as Nitish. I’ve heard from children that after Tejashwi involves energy, prohibition might be scrapped. Manjhi is making noises. There are political indicators Nitish can not afford to disregard,” N. Okay. Choudhary, a former professor of Patna College, mentioned.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Additionally Learn: ‘Unhappy, however folks shouldn’t drink,’ says Nitish as suspected hooch tragedy claims 8 lives in Bihar