Toll in Bihar hooch tragedy climbs to 26

Patna: After Bihar's hooch tragedy toll climbed to 26, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday warned that if people drink spurious liquor, they will die.

The chief minister's blunt comments came as his policy of prohibition came under attack from many quarters including from his former political strategist turned activist Prashant Kishor, who demanded scrapping of the prohibition law.

"Jo piyega woh marega" (those who drink spurious alcohol will die), thundered Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as he stood his ground maintaining that prohibition was "not my personal wish but a response to the cries of the women of the state."

Kumar, when he brought in prohibition, had won praise from many women's groups who felt it would save their men-folk from the "curse of drunkenness and save homes from financial ruin." He also expressed displeasure over criticisms from the opposition BJP which has raised the issue "even inside Parliament."

Civil surgeon and medical officer in charge Dr Sagar Dulal Sinha who confirmed that the number of people dead from consuming the illicitly brewed liquor has increased to 26 from 21 on Wednesday, said deaths were being reported from those homes who had not reported hooch-related illness earlier out of fear of landing on the wrong side of the law.

While the opposition BJP continued to create a ruckus inside the assembly for the second consecutive day over the Saran hooch tragedy, the CPI(ML) Liberation which supports the "Mahagathbandhan" government staged a demonstration outside before the commencement of proceedings, demanding a "review" of draconian provisions of the prohibition law and monetary compensation to bereaved family members. Kishor, a former confidant of the chief minister, demanded that the prohibition law be scrapped, terming it as a "stupid" step and suggested allowing "regulated" sale of alcohol besides sustained social awareness campaigns to dissuade people from consuming all types of intoxicants.

"Bihar has become a laughing stock because of prohibition. The law should be repealed forthwith. It is high time that all political parties, be it Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the BJP which shared power with him for years, and the RJD of Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav gave up their hypocrisy and took a decision without worrying about votes," Kishor fumed at a press conference in Sheohar district. Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday launched a counterattack on the BJP, claiming that states ruled by the saffron party had the worst track records in terms of spurious liquor deaths.

The RJD leader gave a statement before the media, outside the Assembly which is in session, claiming that Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka stood at the top in terms of the number of hooch deaths while even Gujarat, a dry state, fared much worse than Bihar which is under the spotlight over the Saran hooch tragedy that has killed over 20 people.

"I am reading out from a statement given on the floor of Parliament by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, who incidentally hails from Bihar, on July 19... BJP leaders here may do well to wear this on their chests," remarked Yadav.