Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday appeared unruffled by the Opposition’s criticism against him over the recent hooch tragedy in Saran that has claimed over 50 lives so far. The past two days have seen the Opposition up in arms against the Chief Minister over his “failed” ban on the sale, manufacture and consumption of liquor in the state.
Taking the criticism head-on, the Chief Minister on Friday repeated what had riled the Opposition the most a day earlier. “Piyega to marega (Those who drink will die),” Nitish Kumar said in the Bihar Assembly on Friday, reiterating his remark on Thursday when he backed the liquor ban that has been in force in the state since 2016.
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‘Sharabi ho gaye ho!’: Nitish Kumar, cornered by Opposition, loses cool in Bihar Assembly over Chhapra hooch tragedy
“Kya hua? Sharabi ho gaye ho kya? (What happened? Have you all become drunkards)” an agitated Nitish was heard screaming in videos from the Bihar Assembly on Wednesday.
Dismissing criticism of the state’s liquor policy, Nitish argued that it had helped drastically reduce the sale and consumption of liquor in the state and the police had been given directions to apprehend the “troublemakers” that still remain.
‘Piyega to Marega’, Nitish reiterates stand
On Friday, Nitish reiterated his stand, but more firmly and with an uncanny smirk on his face. “Daaru pi ke mar jayega to usko hum log compensation denge? Sawaal hi nahi paida hota hai. (If someone consumes liquor and dies, will we pay him compensation? No chance at all.) Piyega… gadbad piyega… to marega,” Nitish said in the Bihar Assembly.
The Chief Minister, who was addressing the Assembly after the Opposition walked out of the House, also sought to blame the media for its coverage of the Saran hooch tragedy in the state and claimed that the states where the number of deaths due to spurious liquor was higher than Bihar never received the kind press that his state was being subjected to.
“The number of people consuming poisonous liquor in Bihar even when the liquor ban was not enforced, and even today is lesser than in other states. People are dying due to the consumption of poisonous liquor in other states, even where a liquor ban is not in place. Madhya Pradesh is on top of this list… Haryana, UP.. kahan nahi hai… sab jagah ka dekh lijiye hisab kitab,” he said.
Nitish said that his government has been diligently advertising that drinking will get you killed. “The point is that when people here died after consuming poisonous liquor, we have been advertising it fully … Piyoge to Maroge!” the CM added.
Bihar hooch tragedy: NHRC takes cognisance
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued notices to the state government as well as the police chief over the Saran incident. In a statement, the NHRC said that there is a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in Bihar since April 2016, but its “implementation has been patchy”.
“The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the media reports that several people have died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Saran district of Bihar,” the statement read, adding that the incident raises issues of human rights and indicates a failure on part of the government.
In its notices issued to Bihar’s Chief Secretary and DGP, the NHRC sought a detailed report on the situation, including the status of the FIRs registered, the victims’ hospitalisation and medical care, and compensation provided to the aggrieved families.
BJP marches to Raj Bhavan
Earlier in the day, BJP legislators in Bihar took out a ‘protest march’ under the leadership of Leader of Opposition Vijay Sinha to the Raj Bhavan in Patna. During the march to Governor Phagu Chauhan’s residence, SInha told PTI that the events in Saran amounted to ‘state-sponsored mass murder’.
Prior to the march, BJP MLAs created a ruckus in the state Assembly as deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was answering a question. In videos shared by news agency ANI, they could be heard raising slogans while one member was even seen carrying a chair.
Plea in Supreme Court seeks SIT probe into Saran tragedy
Meanwhile, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court today seeking an SIT probe into the Chhapra hooch tragedy in Saran district. The plea sought an independent probe and formulation of an action plan to curb the trade and sale of illicit liquor in the state.
The PIL also sought compensation for the victims’ families who lost their lives in the tragedy. Notably, an SIT has already been set up in the state comprising 31 police officials under an additional SP and three deputy SPs.