Patna: Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has once again created political turmoil in the state with his latest statement over liquor prohibition law in Bihar. Manjhi has challenged chief minister Nitish Kumar's 2016 decision which became a matter of debate in the state after the recent hooch tragedy in Chappra in which 73 lost their lives even though the official figure is only 33.
Manjhi tweeted from his official Twitter handle with regard to the local body elections in Bihar. Sunaina Devi, Manjhi's daughter is contesting the mayoral elections from Gaya to which Manjhi said that if his daughter will win the election, he will ensure that the people behind the bars in prohibition are released.
“Make HAM leader Sunaina Devi victorious for the post of Mayor from Gaya Municipal Corporation by pressing the button on serial number-25 election symbol Tortoise. It is our resolve that if she wins, Sunaina will help all those poor people who are behind bars under the prohibition law,” Manjhi said in his latest tweet.
A few days back Manjhi had advocated for toddy claiming that it is a natural juice and should not be compared with liquor. He had also suggested Nitish Kumar not ban toddy as it was the source of income for lakhs of people of Pasi community.
Later while speaking to the press, Manjhi said, “Yes, I have posted a tweet with regard to prohibition in the state. Around 70000 to 80000 poor people are in jail under prohibition law. I mean to say that there are many people who cannot afford to get bail and their family members are crying. It is an inhuman act. I support prohibition but it has an ill impact on the poor people and they are suffering.”
This is not the first time Manjhi has made such a statement. In the past, the alliance partner of JDU and RJD Manjhi had made headlines with his remarks suggesting poor to "drink liquor after 10 pm like big people". Not only this he had also claimed that drinking two pegs of alcohol were "medicine".
Knowing the fact that Bihar is a dry state and liquor is totally prohibited in the state with the imposition of Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016, Manjhi's statement is set to start a fresh debate on it.
For the violation of liquor law over 4.5 lakh people have been arrested in Bihar this year. The state government claims that more than 1.5 crore people have left liquor since it enforced the law but hooch deaths in the state keep on happening. Voting for the two-phase local bodies election was over at 5 pm and the results would be declared on December 30.
