Jitan ram manjhi slams nitish kumar over liquor ban: Prior to Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, the state’s biggest political debate has once again climbed political mercury. Union Minister and NDA allies Hindustan Awam Morcha (Hum) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi has launched a big attack on the Nitish Kumar government. Manjhi has demanded the abolition of cases filed against people who drink some liquor under the prohibition law before the election. He has clearly stated that the police is leaving the mafia who makes the liquor and sending the poor only to jail, and if this does not stop, it can affect the upcoming elections.
‘Police catching the poor, leaving the mafia’
Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday raised sharp questions on the Nitish government’s liquor ban policy. He said, “Instead of catching alcohol drinkers, action should be taken against the mafia making and smuggling him.” Manjhi alleged that the police is leaving big liquor smugglers to ‘hide their sin’ and only sending the poor to jail for Khanapurti and sending them to jail. He told Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that this should be understood and focused on it immediately.
Manjhi said, “The government should look into the matter of Nitish Kumar that he had said for the third time on prohibition. Then the Chief Minister said that if a person is carrying a small amount of alcohol for drinking, he should not be caught.” Manjhi has demanded that the cases filed against those caught in the case of drinking alcohol should be abolished before the election.
‘Crack’ in NDA on prohibition?
This statement of Jitan Ram Manjhi has come at a time when the assembly elections in Bihar are near. There have been many questions on the Nitish government about the prohibition of alcohol, but this is the first time a big leader of the ruling coalition has made such an attack. Manjhi’s statement is not only in the right of the poor, but also a big political bet in view of the upcoming elections. This shows that there are differences over prohibition within the NDA alliance.
Manjhi’s statement directly connects with millions of poor people who are lodged in jails due to liquor ban law. His demand is a big challenge for Nitish Kumar, because if he listens to Manjhi, he will have to retreat from his strict stance of prohibition, and if he does not agree, the discord within the NDA can increase, which the opposition parties can take advantage of.
