Lalu attacks Nitish’s pet project prohibition; calls it a ‘farce’

Attacking his former partner Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav said that ban on alcohol in Bihar was a "farce".

Patna, July 28: While addressing reporters outside the Raj Bhavan in Patna, Bihar, on Wednesday, after tendering his resignation, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar spoke about how he tried his best to work with his coalition partner, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), in spite of several problems.

In his address he talked about the works done by him, including the total ban on alcohol, in Bihar.

The ban on liquor was one of the poll promises of the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), which Nitish implemented in spite of several opposition against it. Now, as Nitish has left the Grand Alliance, consisting of the RJD, the JD (U) and the Congress, to form a new government in the state with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, his former partner, RJD supremo, Lalu Prasad Yadav, has called prohibition a "farce".

"The whole thing about prohibition is a farce," Lalu was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. "Liquor is available even now, and policemen have become rich. I had warned him (Nitish) of operational problems, but we did not say anything...we tried to cover for him. And yet he betrayed us."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier praised Nitish for his alcohol ban policy in the state.

"I greet Nitish Kumar from the core of my heart for launching a campaign against liquor. But, this work (prohibition) would not be a grand success only by efforts of Nitish Kumar or one party. All the political parties, social organisations and citizens have to participate in it to make it a 'jan-jan ka andolan' (people's movement)," Modi said.

In April 2016, Kumar announced a ban on the sale and consumption of country liquor in the state. The ban was one of Kumar's key poll promises made to women voters--who rallied behind him strongly.

However, according to a report done by Indiaspend, released in January this year, major crimes in the state had increased by 13 per cent in spite of ban on alcohol--usually considered as one of the main reasons behind various crimes.

The IndiaSpend analysis of Bihar Police crime data reveals that cognizable crime--which the police can investigate without a magistrate's orde--rose 13 per cent between April and October 2016, from 14,279 in April to 16,153 in October.

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