Updated on: Oct 14, 2025 6:33 PM IST
Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party has reignited Bihar’s political discourse by vowing to lift the state’s liquor ban if voted to power. The political strategist-turned-activist claims that ending prohibition could unlock significant financial resources, strengthen governance, and tackle deep-rooted corruption within enforcement systems.
While Kishor’s promise has gained traction among economists and segments of the public, it has also triggered heated debates across the political spectrum, pitting public health concerns against economic logic.
Jan Suraaj’s Economic Argument
At a rally in Bihar on Sunday, Jan Suraaj leaders reiterated that the prohibition has cost the state over ₹28,000 crore in potential annual revenue. According to them, the lost revenue could have been leveraged to secure ₹5–6 lakh crore in development loans from international financial institutions like the World Bank and IMF.
Prashant Kishor has been blunt in his criticism of the ban, calling it “a failure both in principle and practice.” He argues that despite the strict law, alcohol remains readily available through illegal channels.
“Ek ghante mein hata denge (We’ll lift the liquor ban within an hour once we come to power). There is no real prohibition in Bihar — only hypocrisy. Liquor shops have shut, but home delivery has begun,” Kishor declared.
His stance reflects a growing sentiment that the prohibition, implemented with good intentions, has created a parallel economy of smuggling, bribery, and corruption.
The Origin of Bihar’s Liquor Ban
Bihar’s prohibition law came into effect in April 2016, when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a total ban on alcohol sale and consumption.
The move was initially hailed as a landmark step for women’s empowerment. Nitish Kumar linked prohibition directly to women’s welfare, arguing that alcohol abuse had been destroying families and livelihoods, particularly among the rural poor.
Surveys conducted in subsequent years reported visible social improvements — including declines in domestic violence, street brawls, and public drinking. Prohibition became a symbol of Nitish’s governance model, underscoring his reputation for discipline and social reform.
However, as enforcement challenges multiplied and the underground liquor market expanded, criticism began to mount.
Prohibition as a Political Tool
Over the years, the liquor ban evolved beyond a social policy — it became a political identity marker. The JD(U)government framed it as proof of Nitish Kumar’s resolve to enforce the “rule of law.”
Police raids, massive liquor seizures, and arrests were frequently cited as evidence of administrative control. Data on liquor, drugs, and illegal arms seizures were presented as indicators of governance efficiency.
Yet, opponents argue that these very statistics expose the policy’s failure. The persistence of such seizures, they say, shows that the black market thrives despite government action.
Criticism from Within the NDA
Notably, dissent has also surfaced within the ruling NDA alliance.
Union Minister and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has repeatedly questioned the ban’s effectiveness. He asserts that the poor bear the brunt of the law, while the wealthy evade consequences.
“Poor people, if caught consuming even 250 ml of alcohol, are prosecuted, whereas large-scale smugglers go free,” Manjhi said, urging Nitish Kumar to conduct a fourth review of the prohibition law.
He claims earlier reviews failed to address core issues such as selective enforcement, corruption in the police, and loss of state revenue.
Opposition Voices: RJD’s Conditional Support
From the Opposition, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has adopted a cautious tone.
RJD MLA Bhai Virendra called for stricter action against “white-collar violators” who flout the rules with impunity, while ordinary citizens face jail time.
Tejashwi Yadav, the party’s leader, has signaled openness to a public consultation on the issue, saying any review should involve citizens, women’s groups, and law enforcement officials.
“Any question that arises should be discussed with the people and government officials before a decision is taken,” he said.
Has the Ban Delivered Any Benefits?
Despite mounting criticism, research evidence indicates some social and health gains since the ban.
A 2024 study published in The Lancet Regional Health: Southeast Asia analyzed district-level and national survey data to assess prohibition’s outcomes in Bihar.
The findings were striking:
- The ban prevented an estimated 2.4 million cases of daily and weekly alcohol consumption.
- It led to a decline in intimate partner violence, preventing roughly 2.1 million cases of emotional and sexual abuse against women.
- Male alcohol use, which had been rising before 2016, fell sharply compared to neighboring states.
- Men’s overweight and obesity rates dropped by 5.6 percentage points compared to non-ban states.
These statistics show that prohibition has had measurable health and social benefits, particularly for women. However, critics note that these gains coexist with serious economic and criminal drawbacks.
The Downside of Prohibition
The most serious unintended consequence of Bihar’s liquor ban has been the proliferation of illicit alcohol, or “hooch.”
Homemade, unregulated liquor is often adulterated with methanol or industrial alcohol, leading to dozens of deaths every year.
Public health experts warn that the underground liquor economy has become an entrenched part of Bihar’s rural economy. Smugglers, often operating across state borders, bribe local police and officials to transport illegal alcohol.
Impact on Crime and Law Enforcement
A study by Aaditya Dar and Abhilasha Sahay found that police resources diverted to enforcing the liquor ban have reduced their capacity to handle other crimes, particularly property offenses and gender-based violence.
Moreover, enforcement-driven corruption has eroded public trust. Many citizens allege that police officers extort bribes to ignore minor violations.
The jail population has also surged due to prohibition-related arrests, straining Bihar’s judicial and correctional systems.
Adolescent and Youth Concerns
Another worrying trend is the increased consumption of illicit liquor among adolescents.
Experts attribute this to the easy availability of cheap, unsafe alcohol in black markets, often sold near schools or local shops under the guise of herbal tonics.
Public health researcher Shivani Gupta found that prohibition, when poorly enforced, can worsen youth mental health outcomes by normalizing risky secretive behaviors.
Comparative Lessons: How Other States Handle Alcohol Bans
Bihar is not the first Indian state to implement alcohol prohibition. Other states offer cautionary lessons:
Gujarat
Gujarat has maintained a statewide alcohol ban since 1961, rooted in Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of temperance. However, enforcement has been inconsistent.
While official data suggest lower alcohol-related crimes, illegal smuggling and bootlegging remain rampant.
A study by Dara Lee Luca, Emily Owens, and Gunjan Sharma found that stricter alcohol laws reduce accidents and crimes against women, but have limited effect on other offenses.
Repeated deaths from adulterated liquor continue to haunt the state, underlining the public health cost of prohibition.
Some local communities, like Khambela village, have even introduced village-level fines of up to ₹1 lakh for alcohol consumption to maintain order.
Mizoram
Mizoram reinstated a complete alcohol ban in 2018 to reduce domestic violence and maintain social harmony.
Initially, it showed a decline in alcohol-related offenses, but the absence of consistent enforcement led to cross-border smuggling from Assam and Tripura.
Again, prohibition’s mixed record raised questions about whether regulation, rather than prohibition, is the more sustainable approach.
Global Experiences: When Prohibition Backfires
The challenges Bihar faces echo historical and global experiences.
The United States (1920–1933)
The U.S. Prohibition Era aimed to curb domestic violence and crime but instead fueled organized crime, corruption, and bootlegging.
Illegal bars called “speakeasies” flourished, and unsafe homemade liquor caused thousands of deaths. Ultimately, the U.S. repealed the ban in 1933 after concluding it was unworkable and counterproductive.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, alcohol is banned for Muslims, though non-Muslims can obtain limited permits. Yet, illicit production and smuggling are widespread.
A 2024 study by Muhammad Akhtar Abbas Khan and Farzeen Akhtar highlighted rampant misuse of permits, resulting in frequent toxic liquor fatalities.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia enforces one of the world’s strictest alcohol bans. Violations invite imprisonment or corporal punishment, yet underground consumption persists.
A review by Mohammad S. Alzahrani revealed that 7–8 percent of Saudis aged 12–22 consume substances, including alcohol.
In 2025, the Kingdom cautiously opened its first liquor store for non-Muslim diplomats under Vision 2030, signaling a controlled softening of its prohibitionist stance.
The Political Calculus Behind the Debate
For Prashant Kishor, lifting Bihar’s liquor ban is both an economic argument and a political strategy.
By promising to end prohibition within an hour of taking office, he is directly challenging Nitish Kumar’s governance legacy.
Kishor’s Jan Suraaj movement positions itself as a pragmatic, development-driven alternative, targeting youth, business owners, and the middle class frustrated by lost economic opportunities and police harassment.
However, the political risks are high. Women voters, a core base for Nitish Kumar, still view prohibition as a protection against domestic abuse. Kishor’s team must therefore balance economic rationality with social sensitivity.
The Road Ahead
As Bihar heads toward its next assembly election, the liquor ban debate is set to dominate political narratives.
While experts agree prohibition delivered public health benefits, its economic and administrative failures are hard to ignore.
The state’s challenge lies in finding a middle path — perhaps a model of regulated alcohol sale, coupled with strict enforcement against abuse and smuggling.
For now, Prashant Kishor’s bold promise has rekindled one of Bihar’s most polarizing debates, one that touches every household — from rural farmers to urban traders, from women’s groups to youth networks.
Whether the Jan Suraaj Party can turn this issue into electoral momentum remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the future of prohibition will be one of the defining battlegrounds of Bihar’s 2025 election.
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