Patna: JDU leaders have praised chief minister Nitish Kumar over BJP MP Hari Manjhi's son Rahul's arrest for consuming liquor in violation of prohibition laws.

They said Nitish had set an example of the rule of law by taking action against the son of an MP from an allied party.

Rahul was arrested on Saturday night and medical tests confirmed he had consumed liquor after which he and his friend were sent to jail.

"Nitish ji has shown what the rule of law entails by taking action against a man irrespective of his background," JDU MLC and party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said.

"It proves that our government is not biased when it comes to taking action against anybody."

Bihar is the only state which has harsh provisions for those who break the prohibition law, including jail for 10 years.

Government data shows over one lakh people have been arrested for violation of dry laws and many were put behind bars.

Nitish implemented total prohibition on April 5, 2016, and not a single day passes without seizure of liquor from some part of the state. But despite all the leaks, Nitish takes pride in prohibition's successful implementation.

"In the past, the Nitish government had acted in a similar manner when an FIR was filed against a Congress MLA (Vinay Verma) over violation of dry law," Neeraj said.

"If anyone claims that Nitish ji takes action depending on background, the Congress example will wash such claims. Even Jitan Ram Manjhi's maternal grandson (Vicky Manjhi) was arrested. Be it people from the upper or lower castes, all are equal in the eyes of the law."

Another JDU spokesperson, Arvind Nishand, echoed the same, saying everyone was equal before the law.

"Be it corruption, prohibition or any other issue, Nitish ji has always set an example. He even broke his alliance with the RJD over corruption," Nishand said.

"Our leader has always set an example and in future, too, the party will not compromise on any issue."

The RJD, on the other hand, mocked at prohibition. The Opposition leaders accused Nitish of using prohibition for branding of his image.

"Had the person belonged to some influential caste, the police would not have even dared touch them. Those who want to drink are drinking peacefully. Their evenings are spent happily sipping away their favourite brands," RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwari said.

Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, too, slammed Nitish on prohibition, claiming that more liquor is available compared to in the past and people are drinking without fear but only people from weaker sections are targeted and arrested.