CM Nitish Kumar refuses compensation to Saran hooch victims, kin

PATNA: Faced with relentless attack on him by the BJP in the light of recent hooch deaths in Bihar, CM Nitish Kumar challenged the saffron party to take note of such deaths that had occurred in Gujarat -- a 'dry' and home state of PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.
Intervening in the discussion on the matter in the legislative assembly, the CM also ruled out any financial relief to the hooch victims or their kin in Saran district where more than 42 people died after consuming suspected spurious liquor since Tuesday night. Nitish reiterated that the consumption of liquor and hooch was a "dirty work" and did not gel with the thoughts and prescriptions of any religion, be it Hindu, Islam or any other, and it was also opposed to the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi.
BJP MLAs and MLCs have been protesting and stalling the winter session proceedings demanding compensation to the Saran hooch victims and their kin. "To pay compensation to the hooch victims, or of liquor consumption, would amount to nullifying the prohibition policy of the government," Nitish said, adding that more such deaths had occurred in Bihar before the imposition of prohibition policy six years ago.
Nitish also reminded the opposition members that the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh was "on top" in matters of hooch deaths and "it has also been occurring in UP". He said the Bihar BJP legislators are silent on hooch deaths in the states ruled by their party. "Why don't you speak about them?" Nitish asked.
"What is happening in the state of those who are ruling the country -- people had also died there due to hooch consumption," he said without taking the names of PM Modi and Shah, but did allude to them.
The Bihar CM also maintained that earlier, when he was with BJP in the government from 2017 till July, 2022, they spoke differently while being in favour of the prohibition policy.
"Back in 2017, PM Modi, in his address here, had said the Bihar government had done the right thing. Now, after our parting of ways with BJP, they (BJP) have started talking differently," Nitish said.
Referring to Gujarat, the CM also accused the BJP as well as the media of not speaking much about the hooch-related deaths or the Morbi bridge collapse in which around 150 people had died. "But they (BJP) made so much of hue and cry over the bridge collapse in West Bengal," Nitish said.
He also accused the BJP legislators of trying to split the seven-party ruling Grand Alliance (GA). In fact, a few of the GA partners have expressed reservations about the prohibition policy. Besides, no party is in alliance with BJP in Bihar, at present.
"They (BJP) are trying to wean away one or the other party to its fold. Who and which party will go where is another matter, though," Nitish also said and added that he has had "old and good relation" with the three Left parties -- CPI, CPM and CPI (ML).