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Bihar CM Nitish Kumar speaks in Assembly. (Photo: ANI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday railed against alcohol consumers, calling them “mahapaapi” (great sinners), after the state Legislative Assembly passed the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Bill 2022 to dial down on punishment imposed on first-time “drinkers”.
“If they don’t abide by the ideals of the Father of the Nation, baapu (Mahatma Gandhi), then I don’t consider them as Indians,” Kumar said in the Assembly. He added, “Those who don’t listen to baapu are “mahapaapi and mahaayogya” (great sinners and inept).”
Kumar said that in Bihar, as of 2018 according to a survey conducted by the government, 1 crore 74 lakh people stopped drinking alcohol. He stated that states don’t ban alcohol because of the income produced by it, but “if someone, who wastes money on alcohol, stops drinking, he will use that money to feed his house”.
He also said that if someone goes to consume alcohol, he is to be blamed for his actions.
The Bill passed by the Assembly through a voice vote will now await the governor’s approval, following which first-time offenders will get bail from the duty magistrate after depositing a fine. However, if the person fails to pay it, he or she is liable to face a one-month jail term.
The Bihar government has been facing allegations of “ineffective implementation” of the 2016 Act. which banned liquor in the state, and hooch tragedies in Bihar.
— with PTI inputs
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