Prove liquor trade charge or quit politics: JD(U) to Tejashwi Prasad Yadav

PATNA: The JD(U) on Tuesday asked the Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to either prove his “undignified allegation” regarding home delivery of illegal liquor or take ‘sanyas’ (retirement) from politics.

The party also urged the Election Commission to take cognizance of Tejashwi’s baseless allegation that a senior politician is getting cut money from illegal liquor trade.

Tejashwi while addressing a joint press-conference on Monday along with other senior leaders of Grand Alliance had alleged that prohibition has totally failed in Bihar as smuggled liquor is available in many areas. He had also alleged that due to state government’s failure to check illegal liquor trade, a bottle of foreign liquor worth Rs 200 is being sold at Rs 1,500 and the margin money of Rs 1,300 is being appropriated by a senior politician.

Alarmed by Tejashwi’s allegations, JD(U) on Tuesday asked its four state-level spokespersons to hold a joint press-conference.

Addressing the joint press conference at the party office here on Tuesday, JD(U) spokespersons--Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, Anjum Ara, Arvind Kumar Nishad and Navin Kumar Arya said Tejashwi should prove all the allegations levelled against the JD(U) or ‘retire’ from politics.

“The state had progressed a lot because of the liquor ban. Prohibition has not only reduced the incidents of domestic violence against women but also brought happiness in many homes as money saved from liquor is being used for family’s well being,” they said.

Countering Tejashwi’s another allegation, JD(U) spokespersons said their party has not given up the demand for grant of special status to Bihar and it would continue to raise the demand at proper platform. “Tejashwi should explain that what step has RJD’s ally Congress taken in the last 50 years for development of Bihar. He should also explain as to what was the role of Congress on Bihar government’s demand for grant of special status,” they said.

Countering Tejashwi on the issue of reservation, Arvind Nishad said the leaders of GA are trying to confuse people by issuing ‘baseless’ statements regarding the Centre’s alleged move to scrap the provision of reservation for SC, ST and OBCs. “The JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar is committed on the issue of protecting the provision of quota for SC, ST and other backward classes. It was Nitish who first provided quota to backwards in the panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies,” Nishad said.

“Nitish’s credentials on issue of fighting for the cause of quota could not be challenged by people like Tejashwi,” he said.