WAR OF WORDS INTENSIFIES AS CM FLAYS NITISH OVER LIQUOR BAN

RANCHI/PATNA: Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das on Wednesday called his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar’s prohibition policy “double standard”, further escalating a war of words between the two top executives of neighbouring states.

Das was retorting to Kumar’s criticism that the former was indifferent to his repeated calls for checking liquor supply from Jharkhand into Bihar. Kumar also accused Jharkhand of allowing liquor outlets to mushroom in areas bordering Bihar, defeating the cause of prohibition in his state.

“There is a huge difference between what you preach and practice,” Das said in a letter to Kumar. He then went on to question the rationale behind facilitating and incentivising liquor production in Bihar.

“Prohibition is in place in Bihar and a strict legislation has been brought to implement the same. At the same time, you have incentivised liquor manufacturing and production by offering tax holidays to the companies manufacturing and bottling liquor in your state and permitting export to other states,” Das said.

He said the tax holiday not only led to a revenue loss to the tune of `7 crore to Bihar, but also flooded neighbouring states with cheap liquor. He said this was in sharp contrast to Kumar’s pan-India prohibition campaign.

“When you venture out of Bihar, you talk about prohibition. But back home produce liquor and find market in other states, including Jharkhand,” Das said in the letter, asking Kumar to rethink his policy.

There is a difference of perception on prohibition between Kumar and Das. While Kumar advocates prohibition, Das stresses on creating awareness.

Das’s broadside came at a day when Kumar joined Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) chief Babulal Marandi in a mahadharna (megha rally) at Dumka against the alleged misrule of state’s BJP-led NDA government.

The JVM had jointly called the rally to protest the recent firing in Barkagaon in which four youths were killed and to oppose the Jharkhand governments move to amend the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act and Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act, to allow acquisition of tribal land for development projects.

Addressing the rally, Kumar accused Das of undermining the interest of Adivasis and son of the soils. “We in Bihar talk of development with justice, here he talks of development with injustice to Adivasis and original settlers,” he added.

The two CMs share an icy relationship and often engage in bitter war or words. Das recently even questioned Kumar’s ability to become chief minister of Bihar. Kumar returned the fusillade by terming Das as a poor choice of a CM. At Dumka, Bihar CM taunted Das as an “outsider”, alluding to his non-tribal background.

“Delhiwallahs (BJP’s central leadership) have erred by handing over the reins of Jharkahnd into the hands of an outsider,” he said.