After the public praise of Nitish Kumar’s total prohibition campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 5, the Bihar BJP has decided to join the human chain in support of liquor ban on January 21. The human chain supposed to be world’s largest spread over 11,000 km across Bihar is being organised by the JD(U).
But the NDA ally Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) has decided to keep itself away from the human chain. Party president and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday said that he did not support this move since he had opposed the stringent provisions of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016. “If we join the human chain in support of prohibition it would mean supporting the legislation,” said Manjhi and urged BJP to reconsider its decision.
The stand of the NDA’s other allies lJP and RlSP was still not known as the State leaders of these parties were awaiting the nod from their central leadership whether to follow the BJP or keep away from human chain. But one thing is very clear that Modi’s applaud of the prohibition has put the Bihar leaders of the NDA partners in a fix.
The call for the human chain has been given by the JD(U), the Maha Gathbandhan’s major ally RJD has also decided to join it. Taking a dig at the BJP, RJD supremo lalu Prasad said, “BJP is taking part in human chain programme for fear of being isolated. The party has already failed in demonetisation.” The RJD boss also had a dig at PM Modi by throwing a challenge to him to implement prohibition on national level.
BJP’s stand was made clear by newly appointed State president Nityanand Rai who tweeted on Tuesday to join human chain. Earlier CM Nitish Kumar had invited all the parties and their workers to join this mission but Rai’s predecessor Mangal Pandey and former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi had almost rejected the appeal saying BJP had not received any invitation.
Nitish has also made it clear that during the human chain formation the flags, banners and symbols of any party would be not allowed. All the DMs have been directed to ensure that workers of various political parties should not display any sign of their parties.
The preparations of the January 21 half an hour long event are going on at highest level with Chief Secretary monitoring everything on daily basis. With the involvement of over 2 crore people who will form the human chain for 11,292 km across the State, the event has been billed as a social campaign to make people aware about the prohibition, dangerous consequences of the liquor and good effects of ban on it.
The Government is also reportedly hiring 40 drones to film the human chain and has written to Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to film the11,292 km long human chain through different satellites. Guinness Book of World Record and limca Book or Records have also been invited to cover the event, a Government official said.