Nitish using alcohol ban as political tool against rivals: Das

Patna, Jul 23: Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today launched a scathing attack on his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar accusing him of using the ban on alcohol as a "political tool" against rivals.

"Prohibition order in Bihar is nothing but a 'nautanki' (drama) which Nitish Kumar is using as a political tool," the BJP Chief Minister of the neighbouring state said at a programme here.

He claimed large quantity of liquor is being illegally traded into Bihar from West Bengal after prohibition but "still Nitish Kumar is not asking Mamata Banerjee to ban alcohol in her state".

Das said Kumar has been touring BJP-ruled states and demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi impose a ban on alcohol there "but, why does he not take a tour of West Bengal and Nepal from where alcohol is being smuggled in large quantity after the ban?"

Later, Das attended a felicitation programme organised by Teli (oilmen) community in his honour at Patna. Senior Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, leader of opposition Prem Kumar and state party chief Mangal Pandey accompanied him to the programme at the S K Memorial hall.

Das also alleged consumption of contrabands like ganja has increased "tremendously" in Bihar since the alcohol ban. He said he read in newspapers that consumption of ganja had increased by almost 25 per cent in Bihar after imposition of the ban on alcohol.

Referring to the incident of hoisting of flag in Nalanda resembling the national flag of Pakistan early this week, he said it was due to "lax administration."

PTI