Bihar Opposition slams Govt over poisonous liquor deaths, Minister promises action against traders

The second day of the winter session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly saw intense discussions as the opposition raised concerns over the growing number of deaths caused by poisonous alcohol. RJD MLA Ramanuj Prasad brought attention to the fatalities linked to illegal liquor consumption, accusing the government of failing to curb the crisis. Minister of Prohibition and Excise, Shravan Kumar, responded by stating that 156 people have died due to poisonous alcohol since 2016. He attributed these deaths to the illegal alcohol trade and assured that the government was committed to tackling the issue.

Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav accused the government of hiding the full extent of the problem. He questioned the state government’s failure to stop the flow of illegal alcohol into Bihar. “These are just the figures from three districts. The government needs to explain how alcohol continues to enter Bihar and what actions have been taken against those responsible for this trade,” Yadav stated. He also demanded a detailed explanation from the government on how major alcohol traders have been dealt with, criticizing the lack of action against large-scale traders despite the state's strict liquor prohibition laws.

Minister Shravan Kumar defended the government’s actions, asserting that the administration under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar follows the rule of law. “No liquor traders, whether from Bihar or outside, will be spared. Action will be taken against all those involved in the illegal alcohol trade, including those operating from outside the state or even abroad,” Kumar said. He reiterated that the government was serious about enforcing the prohibition and that stricter measures would be taken to curb the illegal liquor trade. The minister also emphasized that the government would review the situation and take appropriate action.

Shravan Kumar also pointed out that all members of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, including opposition members, had taken an oath in support of the liquor ban. He said, “The opposition makes accusations but never provides any concrete information on the liquor trade.” The minister promised that a thorough review of the illegal alcohol network would be conducted, and any persons or networks involved in such activities would be severely punished.

In addition to the liquor-related discussions, the session included other key matters. Speaker Nandkishore Yadav opened the day’s proceedings by extending greetings for Constitution Day. Following this, BJP MLA Vishal Prashant from Tarari took his oath of office as a new member of the Legislative Assembly. RJD MLA Mukesh Kumar Yadav raised concerns about issues with the e-education app being used to mark attendance in schools. Education Minister Sunil Kumar responded that efforts were being made to fix the technical problems with the app, and assured that no teacher’s salary would be cut due to the ongoing issues. The assembly also planned to introduce several bills later in the session, which will be discussed and voted on in subsequent sittings.