- Bihar's nine-year alcohol ban may be reviewed if the Grand Alliance comes to power
- Tejashwi Yadav hinted the ban's future will be discussed with people and officials
- He criticised the NDA government over corruption and poor law and order
Bihar's ban on alcohol, imposed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar nine years ago, could be up for review if the Grand Alliance comes to power. Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav dropped a broad hint on this today and slammed the NDA government over law and order.
He said the question will be discussed with the people and government officials, and a decision will be taken afterwards. "If any question arises on any matter, then it should be discussed," he added.
"One engine of the government is engaged in corruption, the other in crime. Criminals are running the government," he said. "Criminals have become Vijay and Samrat," he added, mocking the two deputies of Mr Kumar -- Vijay Kumar Sinha And Samrat Chaudhary.
"Gang rapes are happening in ambulances, firing is going on in broad daylight, more than 100 murders have been committed in a week. No action is being taken," he added.
He also said there has been a scam of 71,000 crore and the government has no account of where it has been spent. "This government is of the corrupt, of the criminals," he added.
Mr Kumar's imposition of a statewide liquor ban had been followed by a huge support for his party from women, and there has been no call for a rollback.
In the early days, there was criticism that the liquor ban had failed. Even the High Court had set aside the law calling its provisions for punishment "unreasonable and draconian".
In 2018, Nitish Kumar had eased certain aspects of the law including sealing of the premises where liquor bottles have been found or seizing the house or vehicles of anyone found drunk.
