Toddy-tapping to be exempted from prohibition law if RJD comes to power in Bihar: Tejashwi

Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday said that if his party was voted to power in Bihar in the upcoming assembly elections, toddy-tapping would be brought out of the ambit of the stringent prohibition law brought in by the Nitish Kumar government.

The former deputy chief minister made the announcement at a press conference here, claiming that the move would bring relief to "poor people, mostly Dalits, who have been facing hardships because of draconian provisions of the excise law".

Notably, the sale and consumption of liquor was completely banned in the state in April, 2016.

Yadav, who was then sharing power with Nitish Kumar's JD(U), claimed that the law was brought in its form because of the "obstinacy of the chief minister", who, the leader of the opposition alleged, was "no longer fit, physically and mentally, to govern the state".

Recalling the reign of his father Lalu Prasad, the RJD president, Yadav said, "He had exempted taxes imposed on the sale of toddy. This brought relief to the poorest section of the population. We will do the same if we come to power. Besides, we will bring toddy-tapping out of the purview of prohibition."

The young leader, however, added, "We are not in favour of encouraging consumption of any type of intoxicants. In fact, if voted to power, we will start a 'nasha-mukti' (anti-addiction) campaign which is the only effective antidote to the social evil. But we are also sensitive to the fact that big fish involved in the illicit liquor trade remain untouched while the poor are made to bear the brunt. We intend to set this anomaly right."

Yadav also repeated the promises he had made at a 'Yuva Panchayat' (youth conclave) here on Wednesday, when he had declared that his party will safeguard the interests of Bihar's young population by bringing in a "100 per cent domicile policy", besides waiving the fee for competitive examination forms and bearing the travel expenses of aspirants.