It takes courage to bell the Prohibition cat. Though Total Prohibition is one of the most problematic things that have happened in Bihar, and privately most politicians say it’s a bad idea, they all pussy-footed around the issue, only demanding that some ‘stringent’ stuff be rolled back.

At an all-party meeting held in Patna recently, leaders of opposition parties demanded changes in the “stringent” provisions of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act’ 2016, enforced in the State from October 2. The ruling party Janata Dal (United) leaders said the government would “positively consider” the demand and other suggestions put forward by the opposition on the issue.

Altogether 21 leaders from all political parties, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy in the cabinet, Tejaswi Yadav, participated in the meeting.

Opposition parties have been attacking the State government for the more stringent provisions of the new Act, calling them as “draconian and Talibani”. At the all-party meeting, the opposition parties, led by the BJP, reiterated the criticisms and demanded a change in the tough laws.

“Since beginning we have supported prohibition but demand that the stringent and draconian laws be changed or removed from the Act,” senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Prem Kumar told The Hindu after the meeting.

Former chief minister and leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha, Jitan Ram Manjhi said that the government should have undertaken such a feedback exercise “before enforcing the Act”.

However, the ruling alliance partner and Congress party State president Ashok Chaudhury said “leaders of political parties put forth their suggestions on some of the provisions of the prohibition…Now it should be seen how those suggestions could be incorporated.”

  Bihar, Prohibition, total prohibition