Reacting to the Bihar hooch tragedy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sanjay Jaiswal on Saturday, 6 November, said that the government's work is to control liquor mafia gangs that are operative in the state as police control is limited.
"The law is strict and has been made with tough rules, but the circumstances show that people are not as aware. The government's primary work will be to stop the mafia gangs in villages as the police control is meagre," Jaiswal said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
Over 35 people have died in the state over the past three days after consuming spurious liquor. Four more deaths were reported from Samastipur district today allegedly due to drinking illegal liquor.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had said that he had instructed officers concerned to take strict action with regard to recent hooch tragedies, ANI had reported.
The use, consumption, trade, and transportation of liquor in Bihar has been banned since April 2016. Despite that, violations frequently take place in several districts of the state.
Addressing reporters, Jaiswal said that in many districts the police have become a part of purchase and sale of illegal liquor.
Meaanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Bihar spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan took a dig at the BJP stating that Jaiswal's statement shows that there's no unanimity in the BJP regarding the prohibition of alcohol.
Talking about the Samastipur death incident, he said in a press statement that the situation has completely gone "out of control" in the state.
(With inputs from Utkarsh Singh, ANI.)
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