Skip to main content

Bihar Liquor Ban - The Political Perspective


Whether you call it Nitish Kumar's masterstroke for gaining publicity and support of people or a responsible chief minister batting for people's interests, on the face of it, it is great that Bihar is free from alcohol abuse.
The Bihar excise (amendment) act, 2016 – a very old 1915 act has been converted into a very stringent law – is haunting the alcohol gang of Bihar. This law banned manufacturing, selling or consumption of liquors (strong or mild) and even prescribes the death penalty for the manufacturer, suppliers and sellers of hooch in case of death as a result of consumption of spurious liquors. Although Biharis can drink outside state boundary, they'll be punished if they create nuisance after returning home.

The government had actually proposed to ban only 'desi' liquors. The sale of non-country or ‘Indian Made Foreign Liquor’ (IMFL) was allowed, although, with some caveats. However, within five days, the government extended the ban to IMFL as well, making Bihar an absolutely alcohol-free state.

By taking this step, Nitish has taken a U-turn and rectified his earlier strategy. Yes, it was Nitish Kumar who allowed the liquor business to flourish in Bihar especially to the villages and semi-urban areas in order to increase revenues.  If we keep economy under consideration, without moral obligations, we'll find that Mr Kumar has made a big mistake. After all, Rs 4,000 crore, revenue is a major source of fund for a cash-starved government.

In the Bihar assembly election, 2015, Nitish Kumar had promised the caste-neutral constituency of women to ban liquors if he returned to power due to their persistent demand for it. The women voters were quite excited to about this topic. And, days after becoming Chief Minister again, Mr Kumar kept his promise with an announcement to Ban liquors showing once again that he is a "man of words".

The Government of India is running several campaigns to restrict the consumption of alcohol and other addictive substances. The government also levy a high tax on these items so that lack of money can be a reason for giving up this addiction. But, addiction is a very severe psychological disease. For a serious drunkard, alcohol is a matter of "life or death". Lack of money cannot diminish his cravings for alcohol.

By taking away alcohol from a hard-core alcoholic, it is like taking away his life. As addiction is not just a habit but a disease, therefore an alcohol addict need a proper medical care and psychological support to get out of this euphoria.

Other states should take the cue from Bihar and follow this model as soon as possible. Liquor was one of the primary sources for generating revenue. If cash deprived Bihar government can bear the monetary loss for a good social change, other states cannot make any excuse.

Also Read: Bihar Liquor Ban - Alcoholism and Society

Labels:

Comments

  1. Unknown1 June 2016 at 08:12

    I hope that doesnt lead to increased smuggling of liquor though!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Prasant3 June 2016 at 05:53

    It’s easier to get alcohol than food in Gujarat, with home-delivered bottles often a phone call away, thanks to small local suppliers, the Hindu reported last year. Do a simple search and you get the answer - http://www.livemint.com/Politics/PminUIJiL3vo0x8K45mgfM/How-Indian-states-have-fared-in-banning-alcohol.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amitesh Gupta3 June 2016 at 11:11

      Prasant, you are exaggerating things here. At least, we have a law that is empowering common people (the non-alcoholics) and curb the open sale of liquors!

      Delete
  3. Vinay Nagaraju3 June 2016 at 18:42

    Going the Gujarat way? This is interesting though. Shame that politics usually has such a large role to play in any of the decisions. I share the same fears as leena on this one though, the rise of smuggled and dangerous adulterated liquor

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bihar Liquor Ban - Alcoholism and Society

Disclaimer : No alcohol has been used during the writing of this post. I don't know why I didn't cover this story earlier. Probably because on this topic, I didn't want to write in haste and as sayings go “better late than never”, I came up with this post. And while writing this article, sometimes I felt an alcoholic haze, that is why you should read this carefully! Let us begin with the definition of 'Alcoholism'. Casually, the process of consuming alcoholic drinks is called alcoholism. But, to be precise, alcoholism is a medical condition in which there is an abnormal addiction to alcohol, and taking it in small quantity very occasionally is not. Simply put, if you can live without alcohol, you are not an alcoholic. “Alcoholism is the effect of excessive intake of alcohol on the functions of the body and personality.” ~ W.C. Reckless “Alcoholism is a condition in which the individual has lost control over his alcohol intake in that he is constantl...
1 comment
Read more

The Brand Amma - Social Work or Self Promotion

J Jayalalithaa, the actress turned Chief minister of Tamil Nadu was given the nickname " Amma " by her followers comparing to or assuming her Amma (Mother). But, she developed this nickname to be the biggest brand in Tamil Nadu, the “Amma brand”. Despite having no market value of this brand, it has a very significant value for the people of Tamil Nadu, especially the poor and the have-nots. For them, she is the goddess who is not only filling their hungry stomach but also providing them almost all basic items necessary for living a decent life (including some luxurious items too). After becoming CM, the major work Jayalalithaa's government has done is providing subsidy and freebies to the people. For instance, subsidized cheap food at canteen, packaged water, pharmacy bill, cement, free rice, free mixer grinder, spectacles, mobiles, laptops, bicycles, etc. all under brand "Amma" and at the price no other shopkeepers, manufacturers or the e-commerce compan...
Post a Comment
Read more

Education Emergency — Why Schools Should Open Its Doors

One sector which is silently hit by the Covid-19 pandemic the most is the education. As a precautionary measure, schools were the first to be shut even before a formal announcement of lockdown. After all, education doesn't come under the umbrella of essential services.  According to the data from UNICEF, schools for more than 168 million children globally have been completely closed for almost an entire year, and more than 888 million children worldwide continue to face disruptions to their education due to full and partial school closures.  In India, only one in four children have access to digital devices and internet connectivity. There is a large rural-urban and gender divide which is why not everyone is able to benefit the digital revolution. Such vulnerable children unable to access remote learning might never be able to get back to learning even after the pandemic fades away, and could be easily exploited as child labor.  Shifting Classes Online   To those who...
Post a Comment
Read more

RediGo: The Car for India's Ready to Go Generation

This generation wants to explore and enjoy every moment of life. It is a generation of those who believe in hard work but, at the same time, cannot let it overshadow their enjoyment of life. That's why they are always on the go. This is the ready-to-go generation. And, no wonder, I am also a part of this generation, the generation that is full of fun and life. Despite having a very busy and hectic life, we are those who cannot afford to miss any fun out there. The definition of fun is, obviously, different for everyone. But, in general, as a part of human civilization, we love to hang out and spend quality time with our friends and families. Whether it is by enjoying food in a restaurant or going out for a long drive. Also, we seek freedom from all those things that restrict us to enjoy ourselves. Whether it is social norms or workload, nothing can stop us from doing what we want to do (except that it must be legal). We are the ones who do not let monotony of daily routine to...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Indian Society And The Struggle Of Our Sports Fraternity

India, the world’s second-most populous nation, fails to show its dominance in sports. In fact, India's performance remains terrible except in few games. So, what's holding India back when it comes to competing in world sporting events like the Olympics? First, it's the conservative Indian mindset of the Indian society. You might be aware of the saying in India “ Padhoge likhoge banoge Nawab, kheloge kudoge banoge kharab ” which translates to “You can be a king if you study, can be spoilt if you play games.” Social life of a person who took the plunge of making a career in sports in India can be challenging and demotivating. An Indian parents or teachers, being part of the society, don't consider sports as a career. They have the biggest influence in a child's future ambitions. They may scold the child that “playing a sport will get you nowhere in life, but to make a life you need to be good in academics”. In other words, young Indians are discouraged from playing s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Indian Olympians In Their Pursuit Of Gold

In the Olympics, Gold medal is something which is glorified and celebrated from its intrinsic value as only the top performers of their relevant sports get to hold it. Every Olympian sees gold in their fantasy while getting trained for a particular sport. In case they miss it, they need to wait for years to reattempt and compete for the top position with the young entrants of the world. That must be exhaustive and tiring task. Four years only sounds small interval. However, only those who are mentally strong can wait, train and compete again. It's certainly not a child's play. Never before has the Indians took  so much interest in sports such as Javelin throw. The cricket loving nation was mapping the distance of Javelin thrown by Neeraj Chopra with great enthusiasm. Because for the nation lacking Olympics gold medal, Neeraj was the last hope of securing it.  23-year-old Neeraj Chopra was born in an agricultural family in Panipat, Haryana. The Javelin thrower, in his childhood...
Post a Comment
Read more