Bihar govt rejects demands for reviewing prohibition law

Bihar govt rejects demands for reviewing prohibition law

Patna, The Bihar government on Thursday rejected demands for reviewing the decade-old prohibition law, stating that the ban on liquor was imposed after taking all parties on board.

Bihar govt rejects demands for reviewing prohibition law

Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and RLM MLA Madhav Anand, both part of the ruling NDA, had sought a review of the policy, maintaining that it has caused immense financial losses to the state.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said, "The law was passed in the state legislature after taking all the parties onboard. There should be no question of reviewing it."

Rural Works Minister Ashok Choudhary also set aside the demands for a review of the law.

"The prohibition law is working on its merit. There doesn't seem to be any need for its review," he said.

Manjhi, the founder of HAM , had on Wednesday said the prohibition has caused significant economic loss to the state government.

"Despite the ban, home delivery of expensive liquor, coming from neighbouring states, is rampant. The public's money is being drained out, which needs serious consideration," he said.

"While the rich can afford expensive bottles without any trouble, the poor end up drinking poison. This is affecting people belonging to the Dalit community, especially the Bhuiya Musahars, whose lifespan is being shortened," he claimed.

Anand, the MLA of Madhubani, claimed that raising awareness against liquor consumption could be more effective than a blanket ban.

"Whether the law should remain or not is a separate matter and is the prerogative of the Cabinet. However, it's my observation that the state is facing a significant revenue loss on account of the law," he said.

"The loss of revenue, prohibition's impact on public health, its correlation with a decrease in crime rates, and youth's shift toward drugs and other synthetic intoxicants need to be comprehensively reviewed," he added.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.