A day after ‘Jo Piyega Wo Marega’ remark by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar sparked outrage in response to media questions regarding the Hooch tragedy, the Mahagathbandhan leader reiterated his stance on Friday and said that no compensation would be offered to those who died after drinking spurious alcohol in the state recently. While speaking in the state legislature on the alcohol ban in Bihar, the chief minister claimed that he has been telling people that if they drink alcohol, they will die, and therefore they should not drink alcohol.
He said, “Daaru peeke mar jaega usko hum compensation dengey… sawaal hi nahi paida hota hai” (We will pay compensation to those who die after drinking alcohol, that question does not even arise). “No compensation will be given to people who died after drinking…We have been appealing- if you drink, you will die…those who talk in favour of drinking will not bring any good to you…,” CM Nitish Kumar further said.
#WATCH | “No compensation will be given to people who died after drinking…We have been appealing- if you drink, you will die…those who talk in favour of drinking will not bring any good to you…”, said CM Nitish Kumar in assembly earlier today.
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2022
(Source: Bihar Assembly) pic.twitter.com/zquukNtRIA
CM Kumar’s statement comes amid the death of 60 people who suffocated to death after consuming tainted liquor in Bihar’s Chhapra. It was also reported that five individuals died from alcohol poisoning in the state’s Siwan city on Friday, after Chhapra. It is being said that people in Bihar are resorting to drinking unsafe alcoholic drinks due to the ban on alcohol imposed by the Nitish Kumar government.
The Chief Minister stated that the deaths of individuals in Bihar are constantly emphasized, and he will use the same message to urge people to avoid consuming alcohol. “If you die from consuming alcohol and want us to compensate you, that is not going to happen. We are trying to support you…so you do the good work, don’t do this kind (alcohol drinking) a bad thing,” he stated.
Giving examples of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, he said that people are dying of spurious liquor in the states where alcohol is not banned. “Top per hai Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, UP…kahan nahi hai. Sab jagah ka dekh lijiye hisaab kitaab. See in those states too where alcohol is not banned, there also people die from drinking,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also has taken notice of the occurrence on its initiative. The Commission has written to the state’s Chief Secretary and DGP, requesting a thorough report on the situation, including the FIR filed by the police and the victims’ medical care.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that several people have died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Saran district of Bihar. pic.twitter.com/fq0LZLcF18
— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2022
Earlier, the Bihar CM had said that Bihar was a ‘dry state’ since 2016 and that it was people who needed to understand this. “Last time, when people died after drinking toxic liquor, someone said they should be given compensation. When someone consumes alcohol, they will die, the example is before us (Jo Sharab Piyega Wo Marega). We should express grief and tell people that liquor is bad and it should not be consumed,” he had said.
However, LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan stated that the CM was trying to protect the illicit liquor sellers. “Jo Piyega Wo Marega but what about those who are selling toxic liquor, Jo Bechega Wo Bachega (those who sell liquor will be saved), the state government is protecting those involved in this business. In Nitish Kumar’s rule, those who drink liquor are Mahapaapi but those who sell liquor are Maha Gyani,” the LJP leader said.
CM Nitish Kumar in the parliament on December 16 reiterated his stance and stated that he would again appeal to people that if they will drink alcohol, it is not going to be fruitful for them in any manner.
