On Saturday, Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of Opposition in Bihar and a prominent Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, criticized the state government and police over the enforcement of the prohibition law in Bihar. He accused the law of being used as a tool to harass the poor, Dalits, and marginalized communities while facilitating illegal activities like extortion and smuggling.
Prohibition has been in effect in Bihar since April 2016, but Yadav claims that it has led to the creation of a parallel black market economy worth ₹40,000 crore, equivalent to the state’s revenue. He said that over 9.36 lakh cases have been registered, and 14.32 lakh people arrested under the law, most of whom belong to Dalit, backward, and tribal communities. Yadav pointed out that this disproportionate impact on these communities raises concerns about the law’s implementation and its misuse.
His comments come as the RJD plans to celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on April 14 at various panchayats across the state, with the largest celebration scheduled in the Raghopur constituency, which he represents.
Yadav also referenced remarks made by the Supreme Court and Patna High Court, which had observed that liquor smuggling was being enabled by police officials. The RJD leader further said that while ordinary people suffer under the law, the rich, who consume foreign-made liquor, are rarely held accountable.
“Over 3.86 crore litres of liquor have been seized, and more than 2.1 crore litres of that is foreign liquor, which is predominantly consumed by the rich,” Yadav stated, questioning why the government is not targeting suppliers and smugglers involved in the illegal trade. He criticized the lack of action against senior police officers and officials who fail to curb the illicit liquor supply.
Yadav also accused the Nitish Kumar-led government of selective enforcement, with little attention given to those who profit from the black market. He called for accountability, demanding that the government take action against officials whose inaction has contributed to the failure of the liquor ban.
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