Bihar Hooch Death Toll Reaches 39, CM Nitish Under Fire As Oppn Targets Liquor Ban: Top Points

Bihar Chief Minister continues to laud the state's stringent liquor ban as a success, while the opposition blames it for the recent hooch tragedy in Chapra.

New Delhi: The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government is facing the Opposition's fury over the latest hooch tragedy in the state, depicting a situation in contrast to the stringent prohibition law enforced in the state which the Chief Minister continues to laud as a success.

According to news agency ANI, the death toll in Saran district's Chapra area has climbed to 39 as of Thursday.

• Dr Sagar Dulal Sinha, Civil surgeon and medical officer in charge, said that deaths were being reported from those homes in affected villages where a family member who fell ill did not report consuming intoxicants out of fear of landing on the wrong side of the law, news agency PTI reported.
  
  


• The state’s minister for prohibition Sunil Kumar said that the deaths have been reported from Mashrak and Isuapur police station areas of Saran.
  
  


• The issue has rocked the Bihar assembly for two consecutive days as BJP MLAs raised slogans against the government and demanded compensation to family members of those who lost their lives in Saran.
  
  


• The CPI(ML) Liberation which supports the “Mahagathbandhan” government staged a protest outside the assembly before the commencement of proceedings, demanding a “review” of the liquor ban and monetary compensation to bereaved family members.
  
  
  


• Poll strategist turned political activist Prashant Kishor, a former confidant of CM Nitish Kumar, also demanded ending the prohibition law, terming it as a “stupid” step. “Bihar has become a laughing stock because of prohibition. The law does not deserve any review but should be repealed forthwith. It is high time that all political parties, be it Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the BJP which shared power with him for years, and the RJD of Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav gave up their hypocrisy and took a decision without worrying about votes,” Kishor said in Sheohar district, as quoted by PTI.
  
  He suggested allowing a “regulated” sale of alcohol besides a sustained social awareness campaign to dissuade people from consuming all types of intoxicants.
  
  


•  So far, Nitish Kumar has stood his ground maintaining that prohibition was “not my personal wish but a response to the cries of the women of the state” and expressed displeasure over criticisms from the opposition BJP which has raised the issue “even inside Parliament”.
  
  


• On compensation for families, he said: "Last time, when people died due to spurious liquor, someone said they should be compensated. If someone consumes liquor, they will die — we have an example is before us. The deaths should be condoled, those places should be visited and people should be made to understand".
  
  


• Defending the liquor ban in Bihar, the Chief Minister further said he had instructed officers to not nab the poor people involved in the liquor sale for a petty sum. "People manufacturing liquor and carrying out alcohol business should be caught. Ready to give Rs 1 Lakh to people to start their work. We'll raise the amount if needed, but nobody should get involved in this business," he said, as quoted by ANI.
  
  


• Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav also defended the coalition government saying, "It's BJP-ruled states that come among top three-four states (deaths due to spurious liquor). If you compare Bihar and Gujarat, 50 such deaths were reported in four years whereas 21 were in Bihar. The agenda of BJP's people is to only spread hatred and lies", ANI reported. 
  
  "Where was the BJP 4 months back when liquor was being found in the houses of relatives of one of their ministers?" he added, attacking the BJP.
  
  


• CPI(ML)-L MLA Sandeep Saurabh, who staged a demonstration outside the Vidhan Sabha along with other party MLAs, said, “Despite best intentions, the prohibition law has led to unwarranted consequences. The poor are being hit the worst. Consumption of liquor has been made a criminal offence, a reason why family members of hooch victims do not get any ex gratia. This has to change. The law must be reviewed.”

According to PTI, Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary had posters and placards snatched away with the help of marshals and went ahead with the proceedings amid the relentless shouting of slogans by BJP MLAs.

The sale and consumption of alcohol were completely banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016.