This Article is From Apr 28, 2016

Nitish 'Prohibition' Kumar Takes Mission to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand

Nitish 'Prohibition' Kumar Takes Mission to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand

Nitish Kumar will address an anti-prohibition event in Lucknow on May 15. (File Photo)

Highlights

  • If there's prohibition in other states, how will you get liquor: Bihar CM
  • He also wrote to Jharkhand CM on checks on liquor shops on state border
  • Nitish Kumar banned sale of alcohol in Bihar from April 1
Patna: Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, is pitching prohibition as a big social movement that he wants to take to other states.

Mr Kumar will begin his campaign with neighbouring Jharkhand. On May 10, he will address a meeting to discuss the benefits of prohibition at Dhanbad, on invitation from a woman's organization, the Jharkhand Nari Sangharsh Morcha.

Two days later, he flies to Uttar Pradesh to address a public meeting at Jaunpur, again, organized by a woman's organization connected to former Prime Minister VP Singh.

The Chief Minister will next address an anti-prohibition event in Lucknow on May 15.

He is far from averse to being projected as the new mascot of prohibition.

At a governance review meeting on Tuesday, Mr Kumar justified taking his ban-drinking campaign beyond Bihar.

"Some people want that this big social movement should fail. Some people say that liquor will come in from the neighbouring states. But if prohibition is imposed in other states too, where will you get liquor? This movement in Bihar will go to other places in the country too. Women's organisations are starting similar campaigns across the country and they have my total support," the chief minister said to loud applause.

Mr Kumar recently wrote to his counterpart in BJP-ruled Jharkhand, Raghubar Das, asking for stringent checks on liquor outlets that have opened up across the Bihar border.

So far, there is no response, and an annoyed Mr Kumar said: "You can very well imagine the kind of support we are getting."

Nitish Kumar's decision to make Bihar liquor-free from April 1 germinated at a campaign meeting last year, where women workers complained about their husbands' heavy drinking. Prohibition became one of the first promises he made good on after becoming chief minister for the fifth time in November.
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