Bihar’s legislative budget session approaches its Friday finale amid uproar over the liquor ban’s efficacy. RJD firebrands have turned up the heat, portraying the policy as a laughable failure riddled with loopholes.
RJD MLA Bhai Virendra’s Thursday media briefing in assembly grounds was unflinching: ‘Liquor home deliveries are the norm here. How, with all that border vigilance?’ He implicated powerful NDA figures in the smuggling racket, stressing that booze intake has exploded since the ban, surpassing old highs.
Enter RJD MLC Sunil Kumar’s bombshell—he’d prove his point by arranging delivery within the assembly complex on the last day. The Lalu associate lambasted the post-2016 surge: no corner lacks liquor, and rampant ‘sukka nasha’ is youth’s new scourge, amplifying harms.
JD(U)’s Neeraj Kumar parried with a stern riposte, forecasting February 27 crackdowns. ‘Test us, and see legal retribution,’ he warned, spotlighting RJD’s hefty Rs 46 crore-plus electoral bonds from alcohol giants. ‘Bite the hand that feeds? Expect the backlash.’
Prohibition’s Bihar saga blends idealism with harsh realities—reduced domestic violence claims versus thriving syndicates and health crises from adulterated stocks. Critics demand repeal or overhaul; allies vow tougher policing. Session’s end leaves the debate raw, mirroring Bihar’s polarized polity where alcohol abstinence symbolizes deeper cultural wars.