Schoolgirl’s lyrical campaign against liquor hogs limelight in Bihar

PATNA: As illicit liquor continues to destroy many families in the countryside despite enforcement of total prohibition, a little schoolgirl from Rohtas district has launched a lyrical campaign to make the people aware about the ill effects of intoxicants. Her video is now being widely shared on social media.
Saloni Kumari, a Class VII student of a government middle school at Patluka in Rohtas’s Tilauthu block, has used her mellifluous voice to appeal to the masses not to turn to drinking which only brings disaster in the families. Although she sang a variety of songs during the prayer time in the school, the one against liquor has made her popular.
“Daru na peena bhaiya, pagal firoge tum bazaar me, rote rahenge bachche, patni rahegi intazar me, dam niklegea, arthi sajega, royegi pyari behana, hogi badi kharabi (O, my brother, please never drink or you will run aimlessly in the market, your children will go crying while your wife will always be waiting for you. Ultimately, everyone will weep as you will be no more),” she sings in Bhojpuri.
Apart from her campaign against liquor, the schoolgirl has also been making the people aware about how to take care of their old parents and cleanliness amid the incidents of children making headlines for forcing their parents to shift to old age homes. Saloni’s campaign has caught the attention of people and many are heaping praises on her.
“I feel proud of this Bihari girl,” comments Lalesh Kumar while Yogehwar Yadav has urged the state government to honour this girl.
The girl said she was feeling very happy to know that her song has gone viral on social media.
“I love singing and the school teachers helped me a lot in refining my art. I am thankful to my teachers for giving me the platform which has now made me popular,” Saloni told the media on Sunday.
Incidently, it was due to the persistent demands by the women folks that chief minister Nitish Kumar had enforced total prohibition in April 2016.