Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that prohibition in Bihar would benefit the lower castes most. In two years it has been proved wrong. A disproportionately high number of OBCs, SCs and STs have been put behind bars for liquor-related offences. STs account for 13% of the state’s population. Five times that figure have been arrested. One in four Bihari citizens is an OBC. One third of those in jail are from that community. About 80% of those arrested were regular drinkers or alcoholics. Mafias have been left unhurt. While consumers have been punished, suppliers have protected themselves. There may be faults in the compilation of data. Only the poorer areas have been brought under the net. The catch is naturally bigger than in prosperous areas. The poor are more vulnerable to police action. They cannot get bail. Arrests are disproportionately high in their number. Why a survey has been made of violation of prohibition by these people is difficult to understand. Both the chief minister and the police have called it unofficial. Of course, the state has adopted an ill-conceived policy which has proved counter-productive.
The status of the report in the administrative system does not make any difference. Prohibition is adversely affecting people for whose good it was enforced, especially the poorest, disempowered citizens of the state. The enforcement authorities are reluctant to crack down on suppliers who form a powerful pressure group. Nitish Kumar has done nothing to put things on the right tack by taking more positive action against suppliers instead of consumers.