Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that the total prohibition in Bihar will script a new social reform and soon people all over India will rise and raise their voice for total ban on alcohol.
A couple of days after enforcing the total prohibition, the CM told media people on Thursday that voices against habit and negative impacts of liquor were being felt in other parts of the country and similar voices and protests which were witnessed in Bihar were being seen in different places. He said in Maharashtra women’s group has raised demand for total prohibition and people are now speaking in its favour.
In neighbouring Jharkhand, JMM chief Shibu Soren favoured total prohibition in the State and leaders of other parties also demanded Bihar like liquor ban.
Giving credit for his decision to all, Nitish said even if anybody has any ifs and buts he should be given this much liberty. The CM said all the political parties have welcomed this and assured their full support in the implementation. “With total prohibition, we will contribute in nation’s development,” he added.
Nitish said the policy will be fully successful with the support of all and coordination among official machineries. He recalled that since ancient history till freedom struggle and later on from Mahatma Gandhi and Jayaprakash Narain and Karpoori Thakur and Morarji Desai all were in favour of liquor ban. Thakur had imposed total prohibition in 1977 and Desai had propagated against liquor.
“We have studied all the previous experiences and prohibition policies in different States before taking this decision. We imposed ban on country liquor from April 1 but after witnessing the public response and their protest which led to non opening of Indian made foreign liquor shops in urban areas, the Government decided to go for total ban,” said Nitish.
The CM on Wednesday also met RJD supremo lalu Prasad and discussed with him the excise policy. Sources said lalu also patted Nitish for this bold step.
Rejecting the alibi of revenue loss, the CM said liquor is not a moral trade and the public would save money, which they had been spending on booze, and spend on education, health and nutrition on their children and womenfolk and it would improve market economy.
Asked about the happenings in NIT Srinagar, Nitish said the Centre could explain the situation as in Centre and Jammu & Kashmir same parties are in power. He however, condemned the ill treatment of students, including Biharis, he said the Centre should act swiftly. “What an irony that Centre encourages people to chant Bharat Mata ki jai but people are assaulted in the valley if they raise similar slogan. This is a dual policy of the Centre and it should clarify its stand,” he added.