Prashant Kishor poll promise: ‘Will scrap Bihar liquor ban’

When asked about special plans for his party’s foundation day on October 2, he said, “There is no need for any special preparation for the 2nd. We have been preparing for the last two years… If the Jan Suraj government is formed, we will end the liquor ban within one hour”.

Describing the existing prohibition as “the most fake one”, he said the state has been incurring a loss of nearly ₹20,000 crore every year, while the liquor mafia and officials continue to make money from illegal trade.

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The Jan Suraj chief said he will continue to speak against the policy and is not afraid of losing the women vote bank. “Whether I get the vote of women or not, I will continue speaking against the liquor ban since it is not in the interest of Bihar,” he added.

Kishor has been vocal in his criticism of blanket liquor prohibition in Bihar from 2016 by chief minister Nitish Kumar. The policy has been slammed by the opposition for its inability to control spurious liquor leading to death and methanol-induced blindness. The ban was imposed after the state saw massive protests by women demanding a complete ban on liquor.

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On Tejashwi Yadav and Nitish Kumar

Prashant Kishor criticised both Tejashwi Yadav and Nitish Kumar for harming the interests of Bihar. Reacting to the ongoing war of words between the two leaders, he said, “This issue is between Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav, and it doesn’t matter who apologised with folded hands to whom; both have caused damage to Bihar. The people of Bihar have witnessed both of them for 30 years. We are urging them both to leave Bihar”.

(With ANI inputs)

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