Patna: Former Bihar Chief Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) president Jitan Ram Manjhi has often made headlines with his statements, now he has given a unique suggestion to CM Nitish. He asked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to reconsider the total prohibition in the state. Manjhi has advised not to catch quarter drinkers. He also said that Bihar and Gujarat are in a similar situation regarding prohibition.  

Manjhi said this in a discussion with reporters on Tuesday. Regarding prohibition in Bihar, he said that he is in favour of prohibition, but it should be implemented properly. The condition of the current policy is that poor people are imprisoned in large numbers for drinking illicit liquor and bootleggers are roaming freely. The same is the case in Gujarat.  

However, Manjhi's suggestion is being taken for verbal comments. Manjhi said jails in Bihar have been filled due to prohibition. The Nitish government should review the prohibition policy. A quarter of alcohol (pauva) drinkers should not be caught. Demanding a review of the prohibition law in Bihar, Manjhi said the police also misquote the breath analyser machine that identifies alcoholics. In the cases related to illicit liquor in the jails of the state, 70 per cent of the people are those who have been caught drinking only 500 ml (Addhi) or 250 ml (pauva). Those who drink 125 or 250 ml (one-quarter) of alcohol should not be put in jail. Manjhi's statement came two days after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a review meeting on prohibition. He directed that instead of catching those who drink alcohol, they should catch the sellers and smugglers.

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