Facing criticism, Nitish Kumar government in Bihar may relax the prohibition law
Highlight
- Liquor ban was implemented in Bihar in April 2016
- Nitish Kumar is facing criticism from the opposition for poor implementation of the prohibition law.
- Deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor prompted the government to consider some relaxations
Bihar government can give some relaxation in the prohibition law. According to a top official of the ruling Janata Dal (United), the government is ready to review the law. According to news agency IANS, a proposal is likely to be tabled in the upcoming budget session to provide some relaxation to the violators.
The Bihar government is facing criticism from opposition parties for its poor implementation of prohibition in the state. Liquor ban was imposed in Bihar in April 2016 when Nitish Kumar took over as CM with the support of RJD and Congress.
However, liquor tragedies in Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Bettiah, Samastipur, Vaishali, Nawada and now the CM’s district Nalanda have put the government on the backfoot, forcing it to consider some relaxations in the law. The ruling NDA constituents have also supported the review of the prohibition law.
According to the proposal, those caught under the influence of alcohol can be released on the spot by paying a fine. However, this does not apply to repeat offenders. A person repeatedly violating the norms of the prohibition law may face a jail term. Such relaxation will allow consumption of alcohol at home and also give a fillip to the concept of home delivery, which is already popular among habitual drinkers in Bihar.
The JDU official further said that the vehicle used for smuggling of liquor can be released after paying the fine. He said the chief minister is under enormous political pressure after a series of tragedies of spurious liquor in different districts in the last four months, in which more than 80 people have lost their lives and many others have lost their eyesight.
Reacting to this, HAM’s chief spokesperson Danish Rizwan said, “Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should do a survey on the issue instead of bringing amendments or reviewing the prohibition law.” If the common people of the state are satisfied with the amendment. Or review, our party will not go against it. If the people of Bihar are in favor of withdrawing the prohibition, then we also respect that decision.”
Recently the Patna High Court had also criticized the government. The court said that a large number of cases related to liquor are pending, which has put a heavy burden on the judicial system. Keeping this in mind, the Nitish Kumar government should establish more courts in all 38 districts for speedy trial of cases related to liquor.
However, this will not be the first case of amendment in the prohibition law. In 2018, the state government made a provision to grant bail to common criminals at the police station level. The guilty will have to pay a fine of Rs 50,000. If the offenders are unable to pay the fine, they may face a prison sentence. The maximum prison sentence under the Prohibition Act is 10 years.
Read more: The rift between BJP and JDU has increased in Bihar.
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