Tejashwi Yadav Criticizes Nitish Kumar, Calls Liquor Ban a Failure
Patna: Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav addressed a press conference on Thursday, taking aim at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the state government’s policies. Responding to questions about the CM face of the Mahagathbandhan, Tejashwi said, “Whoever becomes the CM face in the Mahagathbandhan does not matter to me. I am focused on my work. The public will decide what happens next.”
On the recent murder of a woman in Nalanda, he accused the government of failing to control crime. “There is a rise in criminal activities across Bihar. The Chief Minister himself helps criminals get released. A new system has been created to facilitate their release from jail,” he alleged.
Liquor Ban a “Complete Failure”
Tejashwi slammed the state’s liquor prohibition policy, calling it a complete failure. He claimed that more than 2,000 people have died due to poisonous liquor in Bihar. “If our government comes to power, we will exclude toddy from the liquor ban,” he said.
Backing his claim with statistics, he stated that from 1 April 2016 to 31 August 2024, more than 12 lakh people have been arrested under prohibition laws. This includes 5.43 lakh arrests by the prohibition department and around 6 lakh arrests by Bihar Police.
He further alleged that the liquor ban has disproportionately affected Dalit and backward caste communities. “Every hour, 18 people are arrested; every day, 426 people are arrested; and every month, nearly 12,800 people are arrested under this law,” he said.
Tejashwi also criticized the Neera Yojana, a state government initiative aimed at promoting a non-alcoholic alternative for the Pasi community, calling it a complete failure. “When our government is formed, we will restore toddy sales for the livelihood of the Pasi community, as it was before the ban,” he added.
Prashant Kishor’s Candidacy and Attack on Nitish Kumar
Tejashwi dodged questions about Prashant Kishor’s possible candidacy from Raghopur, choosing not to respond.
Taking a dig at Nitish Kumar, he questioned his leadership and governance. Referring to an incident in the Bihar Assembly, he said, “During CM Nitish’s speech in the House, my mic was turned off.”
Mocking Nitish’s claims of development, Tejashwi sarcastically remarked, “The world came into existence only after 2005. Before that, there was no moon, no stars. There was no day, only night. How many Prime Ministers did Lalu ji make? Leave that aside, I made Nitish Kumar the Chief Minister twice.”
With Bihar’s political landscape heating up ahead of the elections, Tejashwi’s remarks signal an aggressive campaign against the ruling NDA government.
