Patna: RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwari on Monday slammed chief minister Nitish Kumar over the prohibition law in Bihar, claiming that the number of people in jail is greater than those sent behind bars during the Emergency.
Shivanand also declared that when the RJD comes to power, its government will make changes to the prohibition law and those arrested for violation of prohibition laws will be released.
"More than 1.2 lakh people have been put behind bars for violating the extreme prohibition law," Shivanand said.
"I believe the number of people sent to jail is more than during the Emergency. Over 79,000 cases have been registered and over 50 people have been convicted. Nitish too had been to jail during the Emergency and he now takes pride in sending people behind bars." He accused Nitish of sending behind bars those who are downtrodden or of lower caste status.
Giving details of cases under the dry law, Shivanand said the first conviction after the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016, came into force in the state was of two brothers - Mastan Manjhi and Painter Manjhi.
The anjhi brothers were sentenced to five years in jail and fined Rs 1 lakh each by a Jehanabad court for drinking, in violation of the dry laws effective in the state.
In another case, a district court sent Mala Devi, a widow from Munger whose name figured in the below poverty (BPL) list, to 10 years in jail.
Eight other people from Banka district were convicted through speedy trial.
"Ninety per cent people in jail are from the Dalit community. What kind of governance is Nitish taking pride in," Shivanand asked.
"Nitish has to look after the pros and cons of every law. People are not even aware they can be put in jail for five years for consuming liquor in the state. Nitish says he likes the middle path but earlier also he took the extreme step of by opening any number of liquor shops and today too he has done the extreme by implementing such a draconian law in the state."
Shivanand did not let go of an opportunity to attack former Congress leader Ashok Choudhary, who recently switched over to the JDU with three other Congress MLCs.
"I have heard Ashok Choudhary saying that Nitish's personality attracts people," Shivanand said. "I must say that Nitish is a lamp that can only attract grasshoppers and ultimately those insects get reduced to ashes. See the condition of Uday Narayan Choudhary, who had once saved Nitish's government. If Nitish cannot be loyal to the former Speaker what can Ashok Choudhary expect. However, I am his well-wisher and do not want to see him face such a plight," Shivanand said.
