BJP Leaders Push For Investigation Into Tejashwi Yadav's 'Violation' Of Bihar's Liquor Ban

Singh claimed that Sushil Modi took his words out of context during a recorded "loose talk" conversation without his knowledge.

File Photos: Sushil Kumar Modi (L) & Tejashwi Yadav (R)

Source : PTI Images

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi called for an investigation into allegations made by recently disqualified RJD MLC Rambali Singh that Tejashwi Yadav violated Bihar's strict prohibition law by consuming liquor. Singh, who lost his membership in the Bihar Legislative Council two days ago for defying the party line, claims that Sushil Modi took his words out of context during a recorded "loose talk" conversation without his knowledge.

According to Singh, he never mentioned Tejashwi Yadav's name during the discussion. "It was a loose talk which got recorded on camera without my knowledge. Somebody asked me if Tejashwi Yadav consumes liquor or not, and I commented that the prohibition law is a complete failure in the state," Singh told PTI on Thursday.

Disputing Sushil Modi's claims, Singh asserted, "I did not take Tejashwi Yadav's name." The prohibition law was implemented in Bihar in April 2016, prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and consumption of liquor.

Sushil Kumar Modi, citing Singh's assertion that Yadav consumed liquor while in power, has called for an inquiry. In a post on X, Modi wrote, "If found guilty of breaking the law, Yadav should be punished. Rambali Singh must have made this statement based on some evidence; it should be investigated".

Supporting a similar stance, senior Bihar BJP leader Nikhil Anand told PTI, "Rambali Singh has made serious allegations against Tejashwi Yadav that need clarification. A thorough probe is required to understand how someone in a high constitutional position can break the law." Responding to BJP leaders' charges, senior RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari dismissed them as baseless, stating, "Tejashwi Yadav should be given credit for the liquor ban in Bihar."

The Bihar Legislative Council chairman, Devesh Chandra Thakur, on Tuesday, disqualified Rambali Singh as a member based on a petition filed by the party's deputy chief whip Sunil Kumar Singh.

Sunil Kumar Singh told PTI, "Singh was disqualified for working against the party line, issuing objectionable statements against Tejashwi Yadav, criticizing the Mahagathbandhan government's caste-based survey decision, and campaigning against the Nitish government's inclusion of three castes in the list of extremely backward castes (EBCs)."

Rambali Singh, elected as an MLC in June 2020, denounced the disqualification order as "unconstitutional" and pledged to challenge it in court.