A drink in Bihar will land you behind bars for 7 years!

Two days after Patna HC bans liquor prohibition in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar comes out with new law that has harsher provisions

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar addressing a press conference with deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in Patna. Pic/PTI

Patna: Pouring cold water on tipplers’ hopes of once again savouring their drinks, the Bihar government yesterday notified a new prohibition law, which could land them in jail for up to seven years and make them poorer by Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, two days after the Patna High Court quashed its order on banning alcohol consumption.

At a special meeting of the state cabinet called on Gandhi Jayanti, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other members of his Cabinet took a pledge to continue with prohibition which they said was “ushering in positive social change” in the state.

Tribute to Gandhi
Kumar said the new law would be a real tribute to the father of the nation at a time when the state was readying for observing the centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi's Champaran Satyagraha against the British rule from early 2017. Governor Ram Nath Kovind had given his assent to the new law on September 7 after it was approved by the two Houses of the state legislature on August 4. The state Cabinet had decided to notify it.

Defending his government's decision on prohibition, Kumar referred to the Supreme Court’s order that sale and consumption of liquor is not a fundamental right of a citizen. “Besides it is in tune with the Directive Principles of the state policy. I am following Constitutional duty,” he said.

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