new Delhi: The main opposition party in Bihar, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), on Tuesday mocked the Nitish Kumar-led government’s latest announcement that those caught drinking alcohol will not be jailed.
Talking to reporters here, RJD spokesperson (Bihar unit) Mrityunjay Tiwari said, “The new decision of the state government that those caught drinking alcohol will not be jailed is quite ridiculous.”
He said that this proves that the prohibition policy in the state has failed and it should be abolished.
According to the latest order issued by the state government, the police will not send those who drink alcohol to jail. Instead, criminals will be asked to provide information about the liquor mafia.
Liquor is being smuggled, people are dying, the state is also losing revenue and now the police are also entering women’s rooms in the name of prohibition. It has failed and I say it should be abolished, claimed the party spokesperson.
He alleged that the Chief Minister was working under the pressure of the liquor mafia in the state.
Deputy Commissioner, Excise, Krishna Kumar told reporters on Monday that the “relaxation” is being introduced to crack down on the network of smugglers and peddlers.
“Now, if a person is caught intoxicated, he will be asked about the place and the people who provided him liquor. On the basis of secret information, raids will be conducted and if the information is found to be true, the informer will be arrested. There will be no jail”, he had said.
The state government had on 5 April 2016 banned the manufacture, sale and consumption of liquor, including IMFL, in the state and made it a punishable offense for those violating the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016, which was amended in 2018. .