Declare amnesty and withdraw all FIRs related to prohibition, Sushil Kumar Modi asks Nitish Kumar

Ever since prohibition has been imposed in Bihar, the opposition parties have been claiming that liquor law is a failure in Bihar.

A day after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh to the kin of hooch tragedy victims, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi asked the CM to declare amnesty and withdraw the 3.61 lakh FIRs related to prohibition and release those behind bars. He also sought compensation with interest for the family members of the victims as they would be getting it after a long gap.

“Finally, the Chief Minister has bowed down to the BJP by announcing compensation to the families of hooch tragedy victims. He is the CM who had once said ‘Jo piyega woh marega’ (those who drink illicit liquor will die); he is the CM who had said that government will not give any compensation to such family members and he is the CM who had said that there won’t be sympathy for such families,” Mr. Modi said while interacting with the media at the BJP office on Tuesday.

Mr. Modi pointed out that on December 19, 2022, Mr. Kumar had said that seeking compensation for the family members of illicit liquor victims is something like seeking relief to those who manufacture and plant bombs.

The former Deputy Chief Minister stressed that the entire credit for the CM announcing the compensation goes to the BJP. He alleged that the government is hiding the real number of people who died in hooch tragedies. The official figure is 200, but in reality more than 500 people have died after consuming spurious liquor, he added.

“As per Clause 42 of Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016, there is a provision of ₹4 lakh compensation. The provision also says that if anyone falls ill or lose eyesight, ₹2 lakh compensation should be given. So, the BJP demands that those who have lost their eyesight should also be given compensation and Mr. Kumar should apologise for his earlier statement that those who drink will die,” Mr. Modi asserted.

He also raised questions on the condition made by the government to receive the compensation. Mr. Modi said that the condition includes submission of post-mortem report, receipt of admission in hospital and the name of the bootlegger.