'Law being misused': Tejashwi Yadav Hits Out at Bihar Government Over Liquor Ban

Patna: RJD leader and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Nitish Kumar -led Bihar government, accusing it of failing to enforce the liquor ban and misusing the law against Dalits and the poor.

Yadav alleged that despite the statewide prohibition, liquor continues to be sold openly through the black market. “A parallel economy of over Rs 40,000 crore is being run by liquor smugglers in Bihar, which is nearly equal to the state's annual revenue,” he said.

Misuse of Law, Targeting of Poor  

Slamming the government further, Yadav said the prohibition law was being grossly misused. “The police are being used as a political tool to harass the poor and Dalits. Over 14 lakh people have been arrested since the ban, and 99 percent of them belong to Dalit and backward communities,” he said.

Huge Number of Cases Against Dalits 

Citing official figures, Yadav said more than 9.36 lakh cases have been registered under the liquor ban law, and around 3.88 crore litres of liquor have been seized so far. “Despite these large numbers, the sale of liquor continues unchecked, exposing the failure of the policy,” he added.

Tejashwi demanded a serious review of the liquor policy and questioned the state’s intentions behind the implementation of the law, calling it both ineffective and oppressive.