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Journalism of Courage
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday advocated prohibition across India, saying that it would unite all sections of the society.
“Every religion is against consumption of liquor. All-India prohibition can help unite all people and all religions,” said Kumar, whose government has imposed prohibition in Bihar. Speaking here after launching Maharashtra unit of his party, Janata Dal (United), Kumar also criticised the decision of several states including Maharashtra to ‘de-notify’ stretches of highways passing through the cities to get around the Supreme Court ruling banning sale of liquor along the highways.
“This is dangerous. Bihar became a dry state and did not suffer in terms of revenue. Tax collection through consumption and sale of liquor was Rs 5,000 crore but I would not waste Rs 10,000 crore of people’s money in a poor state like Bihar on liquor-purchase. There hasn’t been much dent in revenue collection. Number of accidents on highways has come down,” he said. Tourism had increased in Bihar post-prohibition, he said. A report in a Goa newspaper said that 80 per cent of women suffer from depression because of husband’s liquor addiction, Kumar pointed out.
The Bihar Chief Minister also said that his government’s scheme to provide bicycles to school-going girls had changed people’s mindset towards girls’ education. Talking about farmers’ distress, Kumar said communities like Marathas, Patidars or Jaats were demanding reservations because of the agrarian crisis in the country.
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