Even as Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has come under sharp criticism over the 70 hooch-related deaths in Saran district, it has thrown light on one question — is the state government legally duty-bound to pay financial relief to victims’ kin?
Kumar on Thursday angered the opposition and public over his “crass and insensitive remarks" over hooch deaths. “Piyoge to maroge (those who drink, will die). We are not going to give a single penny to those who died after consuming spurious liquor. I have instructed my officers not to arrest poor people, but instead go after those who run illegal liquor cartels in the state."
Kumar said that the government was ready to give financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to start small businesses to those who were into the business of making desi liquor.
Senior JD (U) leader Upendra Kushwaha also made a scathing remark. “Demanding compensation for hooch victims is akin to asking relief for someone who manufactures and plants bombs. Will the state government pay for people who plant bombs? It never happens."
THE ATTACK
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has cornered the Nitish-Tejaswi-led government over one of the worst hooch tragedies since prohibition came into force in the state in 2016.
Sushil Modi, former deputy chief minister and once a close aide of Nitish Kumar, led the charge against the government. “The government can’t discriminate against the kin of Saran hooch victims, as they have already given similar compensation to the kin of Khajurbani hooch tragedy, in which 19 people had died in 2016."
JD (U) national president Lalan Singh shared a graphic showing the BJP-ruled states topped in hooch tragedies, which was strongly dismissed by Modi, who said the Bihar government was hiding the deaths and more than 1,000 people have died since 2016.
THE CATCH-22
If the government agrees to pay compensation in hooch-related deaths, the BJP will gain political mileage. The move will also have financial implications.
Quoting the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav claimed that only 23 people died between 2016 and 2021. While the NCRB compiles data based on the numbers given by the states, questions are being raised over only 23 deaths in more than 20 hooch tragedies in this period.
Kumar now finds himself trapped in his own prohibition policy. In the recently-held Kurhni assembly by-polls, prohibition had become a political issue, which was raised during an internal party review meeting.
During the five-day winter session, the BJP didn’t allow the government to carry out legislative businesses demanding Kumar’s apology for his objectionable remarks against BJP legislators.
Samrat Chaudhary, leader of the opposition in the legislative council, said if the government didn’t release financial compensation, the BJP might move the high court.
VOICES
The Congress and the CPI are in unison and demanding compensation for the kin of the deceased. The RJD finds itself in a quandary.
Meanwhile, Tejashwi Yadav, when in opposition, had made a mockery of the then NDA government, after an empty liquor bottle was discovered in the assembly premises. Under attack from the BJP and media, Tejaswi Yadav said the media should focus on padhai, (education) dawai, (medicine) kamai, (job) and sinchai (irrigation), as he dared the BJP to come out openly if they want to end the prohibition regime.
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