Prohibition’s hangover in Bihar | Number Theory

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It is now almost 10 years since Nitish Kumar imposed prohibition in Bihar. Its stated objectives were to prevent crime, abuse of women by alcoholic male family members, and divert money spent on alcohol towards more useful purposes. Nitish Kumar was in alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) when he imposed prohibition and has changed sides thrice since, allying with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2017, jumping ship to join hands with the RJD in 2022, and going back to the BJP again in 2024. The fact that prohibition has continued through these flip flops, suggests that it has the support of all three major parties in the state, namely, the Janata Dal (United), the RJD, and the BJP. As Bihar heads into its second assembly elections after imposing prohibition, it is a good occasion to ask how effective the policy has been in the state. Here is what the data shows.

Representational image(Unsplash)

Prohibition’s hangover in Bihar

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