Bihar is going to witness the longest human chain formation on January 21, expected to be over 11,000 km long in support of the liquor ban.

It is going to be the largest human chain ever formed in the world and is said to go down in the Guiness  Book of World records.

Around 2 crore people are participating in the event and will hold hands to form the chain. Thousands of school children from schools all over the state will also participate in the event.

For last 15 days, state government officials are working ensuring success of human chain. From the block to state level, government officers have been allotted targets for the drive.

All stops are being pulled to make it a mega show. Three satellites will be used to capture images of the mega human chain while four aircrafts, two choppers & 40 drones will be put into service for aerial images.

Now, what is the purpose of doing so is what I can’t understand. What’s the government’s motive behind such an event? What is it that it is trying to communicate? What will be achieved after this mega show? Will it be fruitful or an effort in vain?

Does the government only want a name in the Guiness Book? Only for a name? Aren’t there other more serious issues than alcohol ban which needs such an attention?

Imagine if the state becomes cent percent literate and then forms a human chain to give the message to the world. How great that would be? At least it is great to imagine.

Seems the government wants to say to the world “Look we are the biggest black marketers of alcohol in the world but we call ourselves a dry state. We are the most ironical state”

Why is our CM not concerned about the genuine issues of the state? Why is he  wasting his time on the petty ones? Why does he wants to shove his personal choice down the throat of private citizens? Why is he forcibly making the people: government servants, teachers, students, join his ‘movement’?

Are all the people participating in the human chain event really true supporter’s of the alcohol ban? The answer is no, where almost 80% of the men and 25% women (in the educated middle class at least) in the state are against the ban. Then what is this fake display of publicity for?

Why doesn’t our honorable CM understand that banning alcohol isn’t a magic touch and that won’t end all the problems? Implementing proper laws may improve the conditions. Now if he wants to compare himself to the PM and Bihar to Gujarat, then it’s a completely different matter altogether.

But he should be aware of the new types of ailments that the alcohol ban is giving rise to. No doubt the black market has boomed and flourished like never before. But  what is more worrying is that a large no of  youngsters  are being dragged into this black market and are becoming the delivery channels of liquor.

What about them my dear CM? How is the alcohol ban good for them? Oh! Did you mean it has generated employment?

The government’s prime duty is to maintain the essense of democracy and not encroach upon the democratic rights of it’s citizens. Freedom of choice is one of the most important of them all.

The government should implement proper laws to check the problems caused by the consumption of liquor.

The liquor ban is in no way a solution to these problems. And the human chain event, Oh! It’s a complete waste of time.

Gaurav Anand, BMC Sem 6, St. Xavier’s College of Mgmt. & Tech.

  letters, total prohibition