PATNA: Ostensibly for the first time in 26 months since the
Nitish Kumar government enforced
prohibition in Bihar, the CM on Tuesday said his government might amend the stringent Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016.
“Not that I don’t pay heed to people’s grievances (on prohibition). I am reviewing every aspect of the prohibition law and deliberations are on. As it is, the matter is in the Supreme Court. Whatever amendments are required, will be made,” the CM said while addressing a Yuva Sammelan of JD (U)’s youth wing in Patna.
The meet was presided over by Yuva JD (U) state president and Tekari MLA Abhay Kushwaha.
The CM said he would also see to it that people in the government machinery did not harass people taking advantage of the prohibition laws.
Prohibition in Bihar was enforced on April 5, 2016 with the enactment of Bihar Excise (Amendment) Act, 2016, which was replaced by a more stringent Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 on October 2, 2016, three days after the Patna high court struck down the state’s prohibition department’s April 5 notification. The state government later moved the apex court against the HC decision.
Attacking opposition leaders for issuing nonsensical statements against prohibition,
Nitish said certain people cited data and said most people arrested for violating prohibition belonged to SCs, STs and BCs. “Such people should also verify the data of those arrested for other crimes as most of them too belonged to weaker sections,” he said.
The CM recalled he took peoples’ opinion on prohibition by issuing ads in local dailies after enforcement of the new prohibition law in October 2016. “I also convened an all-party meeting... Opinions thus gathered are under consideration. We will take necessary corrective steps,” he said.
The CM reiterated the prohibition brought about a social transformation and poor families benefited the most from it.
Nitish Kumar. (TNN file photo)