Tejashwi Yadav calls Nitish Kumar’s review meeting on prohibition a sham

PATNA: Calling the CM Nitish Kumar’s meeting on Tuesday to review the implementation of the prohibition policy as a sham, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said the law appeared to be tilted against the poor and Dalits, as the powerful elements were flouting the rules and also consuming liquor smuggled from other states by crossing four to five districts.
“The poor and Dalits have been put behind bars for consuming liquor, but no action has been taken against mafias and powerful politicians found consuming liquor,” Tejashwi said.
The leader of opposition in the state legislative assembly said that he and the other opposition leaders have been providing “positive feedback” to the CM, but the efforts lead to nowhere.
The CM, at least, should heed the words of advice given to him by former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi and state BJP president Dr Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal with regard to the prohibition policy and its implementation.
Tejashwi alleged that as many as 80% of police personnel, including senior district level officials, and politicians associated with the ruling JD(U), have been consuming liquor that is otherwise banned in Bihar.
Tejashwi also said in the past, he and the opposition had provided evidence in this regard in terms of video clips, but the government did not take any action.
“Why the lower constabulary suffer the brunt of punishment by way of suspension and then they are also put on duty again after the revocation of their suspension order. No middle-rung police officer has been suspended or dismissed,” Tejashwi said, adding that if a few mafia elements were arrested and jailed in the past, they also got freed later for lack of evidence in the court.
Tejashwi also said he had presented evidence on the floor of the state assembly against land reforms minister Ram Surat Rai and his brother, but no action was taken in this regard.