New Delhi: After the tragic deaths of 33 individuals from consuming toxic alcohol, former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav criticized Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday, suggesting that the liquor ban serves as a prime example of Kumar’s systemic corruption. In a post on social media platform X, Yadav claimed that the Chief Minister’s ideological and political inconsistencies have led to the failure of the liquor ban in Bihar.
Yadav stated, “The liquor ban reflects Nitish Kumar’s institutional corruption. If a ban has been instituted, it is the government’s duty to enforce it fully. However, due to the Chief Minister’s ideological confusion, weak leadership, and reliance on selective officials rather than public representatives, the liquor ban has become a major failure in Bihar. There is an unholy alliance between ruling politicians, police, and the liquor mafia, resulting in a thriving black market for illegal liquor worth over 30,000 crores.”
He further highlighted the discrepancy in the reported recovery of alcohol, questioning the authenticity of claims that 3.46 crore liters of liquor have been seized in Bihar. He suggested that such reports may involve corruption, with police sometimes pretending to seize illicit liquor while only capturing an innocuous vehicle.
Yadav also posed critical questions to the Chief Minister regarding the large quantities of alcohol being recovered and highlighted that the majority of those arrested under the ban are from impoverished communities.
As a result of the recent incidents, the death toll in Bihar has reached 33, with 28 fatalities in Siwan and 5 in Saran. Currently, 79 individuals have been admitted for treatment at Siwan Sadar Hospital and Basantpur Primary Health Center, with 13 in critical condition transferred to PMCH Patna.