Patna: On the banks of the Ganga River in Patna, Govind (name changed) sits quietly behind a patch of bushes with a black polythene bag beside him. When a customer approaches, he pours country liquor from a pouch into a pot and hands it over.
“Sir, prohibition is a good thing. You shouldn’t drink it,” Govind says, almost justifying his act. “We don’t force anyone. People come on their own. This is country liquor — it can even kill people, but they still drink.”
Govind, who has been jailed three times, represents the other face of Bihar’s nine-year-old liquor ban — where consumption continues underground, deaths from spurious liquor are reported every year, and yet, the state remains politically and socially committed to prohibition.
Toxic Deaths, Broken Families, and Questions on Enforcement
Bindu Kumari from Siwan lost both her husband and brother to toxic liquor in October 2024. Her husband, Ravindra, a mason, drank country liquor worth ₹50 while returning home from the funeral of her brother. He died the next morning.
Tears rolling down her face, Bindu says, “If prohibition had been properly implemented, my husband would have been alive. When liquor is still being sold, what’s the point of prohibition?”
Her daughter Radhika, who had to quit school after her father’s death, says bitterly, “Nitish Kumar says the law was made for women. If you see my mother and me, you’ll know — the government has forgotten us.”
The family received ₹4 lakh as compensation, part of the Chief Minister’s relief scheme introduced after public outrage over rising hooch deaths. But many others are still waiting.
Liquor Ban for Women, Not for the System
Implemented in 2016 under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s liquor prohibition law was projected as a social reform initiative primarily aimed at empowering women and reducing domestic violence.
Initially, Nitish’s stance was uncompromising. “Whoever drinks alcohol will die. What’s the point of compensation?” he declared in the Assembly. But after public backlash, the state government softened its tone and started compensating victims’ families — on the condition that they support prohibition.
Political observers note that the shift reflects the government’s struggle to balance moral governance with ground realities of enforcement failures and a thriving black market.
“People Drink Secretly — What Can the Government Do?”
In Siwan’s Bhagwanpur area, where more than 37 people died in a single hooch tragedy last year, villagers remain divided.
Ravindra’s neighbour, 75-year-old Rajeshwar Sahu, says, “If alcohol had been freely available, road accidents would happen every day. People drink secretly, and then die. The government has banned it, but people don’t listen. What can it do?”
His wife, Reema Devi, supports prohibition too. “Nitish ji did a good thing. Men now save money. Women are happier. Even if people drink, they do it secretly,” she says.
Ironically, even illicit sellers like Govind say prohibition has helped them earn more. “I earn ₹2,500–3,000 a day. I know it’s wrong, but there’s no job. The police raid often, so I keep moving,” he says.
He admits that the liquor often contains toxic ingredients — spirit, ammonium chloride, or urea — making it deadly. “People drink three-four bottles. That’s why they die,” he says.
“I Lost My Eyesight, and the Government Left Us Helpless”
Vivek, a resident of Bhagwanpur, lost 70% of his eyesight after consuming the same batch of liquor that killed Ravindra.
“I had just one drink worth ₹50. Next morning, I could barely see. Treatment cost ₹5 lakh. Now I can’t work in my salon,” he says. “If liquor is banned, why is poisonous liquor being sold? The government should either legalize it or stop it completely.”
Vivek says no official has visited him, and he hasn’t received compensation. “Had I died, my family would have got ₹4 lakh. But since I survived, nobody cares,” he adds.
Compensation Still Pending in Many Villages
In Khairwan village, about 3 km away, eight people died from spurious liquor just before Diwali last year. A year later, their families are still waiting for the ₹4 lakh compensation.
Lalmunia Devi, whose husband was among the victims, says, “We registered our names many times, but no one came. We don’t even have food, forget a house.”
Her daughter, Pooja, now works as a domestic help to sustain the family. “Father’s death changed everything. We haven’t received a single rupee,” she says.
Experts: Women Still Support Prohibition, But It Won’t Affect Elections
Political analyst Praveen Bagi says the liquor ban, now nearly a decade old, is unlikely to become an election issue in 2025.
“The opposition will raise it citing revenue loss, fake liquor, and corruption. But rural women continue to support prohibition because it reduced domestic violence and saved family income,” he says. “Urban voters may criticize its failure, but there’s no major resentment that will affect voting patterns.”
Senior journalist Rakesh Praveer adds, “Prohibition was brought at women’s demand, and no major party dares to oppose it. JDU, RJD, and BJP all backed it at some point. Only Prashant Kishore’s Jan Suraj Party has openly called for its repeal.”
Political Divide on Prohibition Policy
- JDU and Nitish Kumar: Continue to defend the law as a “social revolution” benefiting poor families and women.
- BJP: While critical of poor enforcement, the party now calls the policy “largely successful.” BJP leader Kuntal Krishna says, “It’s a commendable step that curbed family breakdown. We’ll ensure better implementation.”
- Congress: Spokesperson Gyan Ranjan disagrees. “Liquor is being delivered like pizza in Bihar. The government has failed to enforce its own law. It’s time all parties review prohibition,” he says.
- Jan Sursaj Party (Prashant Kishor): Argues the state has lost nearly ₹28,000 crore in excise revenue, calling for an end to the ban.
Nine Years On: A Policy of Contradictions
Nine years since prohibition, Bihar’s ground reality tells a complex story.
While many women continue to back Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision, the recurring tragedies, loss of livelihood, and unchecked black market expose deep flaws in implementation.
For people like Bindu, Vivek, and Pooja, the debate is not about policy success or political ideology — it’s about survival.
As Bihar prepares for assembly elections in 2025, one question echoes across its villages and riversides: Can a good law survive bad implementation?
