Bihar minister concerned in liquor commerce, Nitish helpless: Tejashwi

RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday launched a frontal assault on the Nitish Kumar authorities in Bihar, alleging the involvement of a BJP minister in illicit liquor commerce and claiming that the Chief Minister appeared “weak and helpless” and, subsequently, unable to behave and stem the rot.
The chief of the opposition, who had on the day past raised contained in the meeting the difficulty of seizure of illicit liquor from a college constructing located on a property that belonged to minister for land reforms and income Ram Surat Rai, went for the jugular and charged that he suspected “direct involvement” of the cabinet member.
Brandishing a bunch of sheets at a press convention right here, he mentioned, “here are copies of the FIR and documents relating to the Arjun Memorial school of which the minister happens to be the founder while his brother is the vyavasthapak (manager). Anybody who cares can go and verify the facts.”
The college, from the place liquor was seized in November final yr, is located in Muzaffarpur. Ram Surat Rai is the MLA from Aurai in the identical district.
After wresting again the seat from the RJD, Rai was inducted into the cabinet from the BJP quota, practically a fortnight after confiscation of the liquor.
Consumption and sale of liquor within the state was banned by chief minister Nitish Kumar 5 years in the past. Yadav was then his deputy.
The RJD chief challenged Kumar to take motion in opposition to the minister and alleged that he appeared “clueless whenever we raise any anomaly involving his government”.
Raking up the difficulty of JD(U) chief Mewa Lal Chaudhary, who needed to step down instantly after taking cost because the training minister in November final when an argument erupted over his title having cropped up in a rip-off involving an agriculture college, Yadav questioned “how does the chief minister find yourself appointing tainted individuals in his cabinet.
“Even newspapers have been flagging this matter. But, he takes no note until we raise a hue and cry”.
He additionally ridiculed the assertion given by Ram Surat Rai in his defence that he would resign as minister and quit politics if his complicity within the liquor case was established.
“Where was he once we had been elevating the matter on the ground of the House? Those defending him proffered a lame excuse that the property had been leased out to someone else.
“We are now charging that he is very much involved in running of the school from where liquor was seized”, Yadav mentioned.
He additionally reiterated {that a} “parallel black economy” has been thriving within the state ever since prohibition got here into drive and folks with the “right connections” continued to devour liquor at a premium.
“Videos have been viral on social media of legislators belonging to the chief ministers JD(U) gyrating tipsily and lewdly beside dancing ladies.
“And who can forget our expose of a few years ago when we shared photographs of a liquor mafia from Bhojpur, an accused in a hooch tragedy case, getting snapped along with the chief minister at his official residence?” Yadav remarked.
“The chief minister, who heads the government and also holds the all important home portfolio, has obviously a lot to answer. We reiterate that he is tired and grown weak and helpless”, Yadav, youthful son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, alleged.
Meanwhile, the state BJP was left peeved on the RJD leaders makes an attempt at “character assassination” of Ram Surat Rai.
“The drawback of Tejashwi Yadav is that Rai belongs to the Yadav group whom the RJD has at all times handled as its chattel.
“Before pointing fingers at Rai, he should have had a word with his father Lalu Prasad who must be knowing the impeccable credentials of Rais deceased father and family”, BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand mentioned in an angrily worded assertion.
Prohibition was hotly mentioned within the legislative meeting on Tuesday throughout a debate on Prohibition, Excise and Registration division’s budgetary demand.
Highlighting crackdown on individuals violating the liquor legislation, Prohibition division minister Sunil Kumar had mentioned over 3.46 lakh individuals have been arrested beneath the provisions of the stringent laws in opposition to alcohol within the state.
Among them 5000 individuals have been arrested from Punjab, Haryana and Jharkhand for illegally supplying liquor in dry Bihar, the minister had mentioned.
Kumar,who retired from the police service earlier than contesting final yr’s ballot on a JD(U) ticket, additional mentioned that the federal government businesses have seized 53 lakh litres of nation made liquor and 97 lakh litres of India Made Foreign Liquor until February this yr.