Remember your pledge, says Nitish Kumar in a counterattack on Tejashwi Yadav

Biihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has been under attack from the Opposition led by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav over the death of nearly 40 people due to consumption of spurious liquor in the state over the last week.

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has been under attack from opposition leaders over deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor in the state, on Monday hit back at them, underlining that it is also the responsibility of the Opposition to ensure implementation of prohibition but they have hardly contributed in this endeavour.

Bihar chief Minister Nitish Kumar attacked the government’s critics led by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav over the hooch deaths, reminding opposition leaders that they too pledged (HT Photo/Santosh Kumar)

“This (checking trade of illicit liquor) was not an individual’s responsibility. It’s for a public cause. All those, who took the pledge to enforce total prohibition should keep a watch on it and play an active role to check the scourge (liquor consumption),” the chief minister said, referring to the 2016 pledge by lawmakers not to consume liquor and encourage people to enforce total prohibition before the government notified Bihar as a dry state.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar banned the sale and consumption of liquor in the state in April 2016 when his party, Janata Dal (United) was in alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress as part of Bihar’s grand alliance. RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, now leader of opposition in the assembly who has been fronting the opposition attacks over the hooch deaths, was his deputy chief minister till 2017 till the JD (U) exited the alliance and teamed with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Kumar next took a swipe at Tejashwi Yadav on Monday for criticising the government for its failure to check liquor consumption, wondering why the RJD leader only issued statements and didn’t take a concrete step.

“Why don’t you (Tejashwi Yadav) come forward and catch those trying to violate the (prohibition) law? Or, they should at least inform the committee, instead of issuing statements to the Press,” the chief minister said. His parting shot came next: It is his (Tejashwi’s) fault that he did not get enlightened despite working with me,” the chief minister told reporters after his Janata Darbar, a weekly programme where people approach him to address their grievances.

Nearly 40 people are suspected to have died due to consumption of spurious liquor and about 100 still undergoing treatment over the last week. Most of the cases were reported from six districts; Gopalganj, West Champaran, Siwan, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur and Hajipur.

On his part, Nitish Kumar said, he has convened a high-level meeting of ministers and officials on November 16 to analyse how the liquor trade was continuing despite the ban.

“Activities of all districts with respect to action taken to check liquor flow will be reviewed. The DGP (director general of police) and the chief secretary have been asked to keep watch on all issues and take action against all those found guilty,” said Kumar.

Kumar said a massive awareness drive against liquor consumption will also be planned during the November 16 meeting.

In an apparent reference to some BJP leaders nudging the government to review the prohibition law in the context of its effectiveness, Kumar said the ban was enforced after evaluating all aspects. “Initially, it was believed the ban will result in a loss of about ₹5,000 crore to the state exchequer. The next year, the loss came down to ₹1,200-1,300 crore. The same was compensated. However, the ban worked effectively to check violence within the family,” said Kumar.

Reiterating the government’s resolve to develop Nalanda University as a premier academic institute in the world, Kumar said the government proposed to offer an additional 70-acre land to the varsity to raise further infrastructure. “The university is surrounded by prime historic locations connected with Both Gaya, Rajgir and Patna. New roads are being built to have faster access to it from Gaya and Patna. An infra-rich medical college and hospital have been made at Pawapuri to cater to the students and visitors to the university,” said the chief minister.