Patna, April 27 Bihar Leader of Opposition (LoP), Tejashwi Yadav, on Sunday, reiterated his commitment that toddy will be excluded from the liquor prohibition law if the INDIA Bloc is elected in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
“If the INDIA Bloc government is formed in Bihar, toddy will be taken out of the liquor ban law and the cases registered against toddy businessmen will be withdrawn,” said Tejashwi Yadav while addressing the toddy businessmen ‘Mahajutan’ program at Sri Krishna Memorial Hall in Patna, aiming to mobilise support from the Pasi community, which traditionally supports the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).
He also announced that toddy would be given industry status in Bihar, which, he emphasised, would boost the economic condition of people associated with the business.
Tejashwi Yadav pointed out that during the previous Grand Alliance government, he and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had advocated removing toddy from the ambit of the liquor prohibition law. However, due to the ‘stubbornness’ of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the decision could not be implemented.
“This time, if the INDIA Bloc government is formed, we will definitely take toddy out of the liquor ban law," Tejashwi assured the gathering.
On March 6 this year, Tejashwi had also raised the demand to exempt toddy from the liquor ban, arguing that it is an important traditional occupation for certain communities in Bihar.
This move is seen as an effort by the RJD to win the trust of the Pasi community, an important segment among the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) in Bihar politics.
Liquor has been banned in Bihar since April 2016, and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has always defended prohibition, claiming it benefits women and families.
Opposition parties argue the ban has created a booming black market and has become a tool for police to harass poor people in the state.
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