Social Media Trolls Nitish Kumar’s Call for Nationwide Liquor Ban

A nationwide ban would be the biggest sign of communal harmony and respect to all the religions, the Bihar CM said.

Representative image of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

(Photo: The Quint)

Social media has not taken well to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s call for a nationwide ban on alcohol. Twitter has opposed the proposal, with users trolling the campaign with explainers on how a nationwide ban would be a disaster, accompanied with the hashtag ‘#IfAlcoholWereBanned’.

The Bihar Chief Minister, on 5 December, pitched for a nationwide ban on alcohol, and asked party activists in Delhi to raise awareness among people about the ill effects of liquor consumption.

Hitting out at the Congress and left parties, he demanded to know why they could not support ban on liquor and campaign against its consumption.

When Gujarat could implement liquor ban, Bihar also showed that it could ban alcohol in the state. Then why can’t it be banned in the entire country?

Nitish Kumar

Stressing that all religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism criticise liquor consumption, he said a nationwide ban would be the biggest sign of communal harmony and respect to all the religions.

Twitter users didn’t seem to agree.

And some more...

However, there were many who supported Kumar’s pledge for a nationwide ban on liquor, stating that it would lead to a safer, healthier and crime-free environment.

The Bihar chief minister had listed out various benefits of ban on liquor, like fall in crime rate, road accidents and various diseases. The Bihar government had imposed a ban on sale and manufacturing of liquor in April, 2016.

JD(U) Delhi unit president Narsingh Shah had said that the main aim of the party in national capital would be to regularise over 1,600 unauthorised colonies if it comes to power.

He said the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have failed to fulfill their promise to regularise these colonies where the living condition is "very pathetic".