Ground report | Why most women in Bihar want liquor ban to continue

“Mahilao ka jeevan nark ho jata hai agar ghar mein sharab peene wala ho. Hum kabhi nahi chahenge ke sharab bandi samapt ho, balki maang karenge ke puri tarah laagu ho (The lives of women become hell if there is someone who drinks alcohol in the house. We would never want the prohibition on alcohol to end; instead, we demand that it be fully enforced)”, said Kiran Devi, a young poverty-stricken Dalit woman, standing on dusty road near her one-room brick house on a cloudy October morning.

Kiran, a resident of Kurkuri village in Phulwari Sharif block, Patna district, is a vocal supporter of the total liquor ban in Bihar.

She has made her stance clear, protesting and opposing any move to end the ban in the state.

Also read: The making of hooch, and its dangerous dance with chemistry and society

“We are fed up with the rampant alcoholism among the men in the village, despite the liquor ban, which exists only on paper because desi liquor is easily available and selling like never before. Even my husband drinks regularly, abuses me, and creates trouble. Due to his drinking habit, we are facing financial difficulties and constant tension. Women like me simply want the government to ensure a real liquor ban,” Kiran, mother of three grown children, told The Federal.

Domestic abuse concerns

She is not alone; most of the women in her village strongly favour the liquor ban.

Take, for instance, Shanti Devi, a young neighbour of Kiran, who has been facing domestic violence from her husband, a daily wage labourer, who comes home drunk two to three times a week.

She is distressed and showed a mark of injury on her head, but strongly supports the continuation of the liquor ban. “I know I face trouble every evening when my husband comes home drunk, but he also backs down when I threaten to call the police, as there is at least an official liquor ban. If there were no liquor ban, men would have no fear and would take advantage of it,” Shanti told The Federal.

While domestic violence still happens, it is not as brazen as in the past because men fear arrest if women inform the police, since liquor consumption is illegal in the state.

Shanti’s words were echoed by five women standing close to her, all voicing their support for the continuation of the liquor ban.

Saving lives

Sudha Devi, a middle-aged woman, said that her husband and her elder son, the father of four children, come home drunk and create a scene.

“Sometimes my husband abuses me, and my son beats his wife. We know there isn’t a complete liquor ban and that men are drinking illicit liquor, but not openly. Liquor bottles are no longer on display, there are no liquor shops, and those who drink fear the police,” said Sudha, another neighbor of Kiran.

Also read | Bihar: Major parties sceptical as Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party throws down the poll gauntlet

Meanwhile, young Priyanka Kumari, a resident of Ranipur village on the outskirts of Patna, praised the liquor ban decision in the state, saying, “The liquor ban is essential and should continue. Sharab bandi chalu rahna chaiye (the liquor ban should remain in effect).” Priyanka noted that the ban has saved hundreds of lives and homes, as thousands of people have stopped consuming liquor.

Kiran, Shanti, Sudha, and Priyanka — four among thousands of women in rural Bihar — expressed loudly that they want “sharab-bandi” or “daru-bandi” (liquor ban) and oppose any move to lift it. Their views assume significance as they may impact the state’s politics and the outcome of next year’s Bihar assembly elections.

‘Overall ban impact positive’

In dry Bihar, election strategist-turned-political activist Prashant Kishor, considered the main “brain and face” of the newly formed Jan Suraj Party (JSP), has repeatedly claimed that he would end or lift the liquor ban (prohibition) in the state if his party comes to power in the 2025 Bihar assembly polls.

What raised eyebrows was that Kishor reiterated his promise to lift the liquor ban after formally launching his much-awaited party in Patna on October 2, which marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who was against alcohol consumption, and the liquor ban was inspired by his vision.

Leaders of the ruling Janata Dal-United, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, criticised Prashant Kishor for questioning prohibition and his stance on lifting the liquor ban, describing it as an insult to Gandhi's ideas.

"We don’t know who Prashant Kishor is and haven’t heard what he has been saying about lifting the liquor ban. We will not support him but will oppose him," said Kiran.

Open displays

Sumitra Devi, an elderly woman sitting outside her house with a few other women, hardly half a kilometer from Kiran, said, “The liquor ban should continue. *Darubandi rahna chahiye* (the liquor ban should remain in effect). We know many men are drinking in utter violation of the ban because the concerned authorities, including the police, have failed to enforce it. If the liquor ban is lifted, people will start drinking on roads and in public, with more open displays during festivals and marriage functions.”

Also read: Bihar doing well in basic indicators like health, education: NITI Aayog CEO

To understand public views on Prashant Kishor’s promise to lift the liquor ban if he comes to power, The Federal spoke to more than 50 women, both rural and urban, across a dozen districts, including Saran, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Bhojpur, Samastipur, Bhagalpur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Katihar, Araria, and Kishanganj.

The dominant sentiment was that the ban should continue, as it has reduced alcohol addiction, domestic violence against women, and increased family savings. “Gradually, several people have stopped consuming alcohol over the years since the ban, and abuse and domestic violence are no longer rampant. But illicit liquor is available on demand, and some people are manufacturing and selling it on the black market due to the failure of police to crack down on them,” said Tariya Devi of Hasanpur village in Mahua block, Vaishali.

Angry warnings

This sentiment was evident when most women participants at Kishor’s mega event for the party’s launch voiced their support for the liquor ban.

Many women angrily warned him not to consider lifting the ban, as it would harm them more than it would men.

Parmila Devi of Ramnagar village in Gaighat block, Muzaffarpur, and Anjum Ara of Jirangachh village in Thakurganj block, Kishanganj, shared similar stories to other women, opposing the lifting of the liquor ban. “It is true that some men are still drinking, but the overall impact of the liquor ban has been positive,” said Anjum, whose husband stopped drinking alcohol after the ban was implemented.

What's the rationale, ask men

However, when The Federal spoke to several men in different villages and towns, most pointed out that since the liquor ban has failed in the state — spurious liquor is available everywhere and a large number of people are drinking it — the government should end the ban.

“What is the rationale for a liquor ban if the illicit liquor trade is flourishing across the state, people are drinking and even dying because of it? The government is also losing huge tax revenue. The failure of the liquor ban has led to the emergence of a powerful liquor mafia, minting hundreds of crores. The government should lift the ban if it cannot fully implement it on the ground,” Om Prakash Singh of Kurkuri told The Federal.

His view was supported by a youth, Chandra Kishor, and middle-aged Subhash Prasad.

“Where is the liquor ban? It exists only in name and in official files. It would be better if the government lifted the ban; it would help curb rampant illicit liquor. I want the government to provide a weekly liquor quota for adults who want it,” said Ashok Mahto, a resident of Ranipur.

But Harimohan Rai of Kothia village in Garkha block, Saran, said: “It’s true the liquor ban has failed on the ground, but it’s still a good initiative. In our region, most men advocate lifting the ban because they want total freedom to drink alcohol publicly without fear. My stance is clear — the liquor ban has improved the lives of many, especially women.”

Also read: Prashant Kishor vows to scrap Bihar liquor ban if party comes to power

Women all for Nitish

By openly announcing and promising that he will lift prohibition in the state immediately if JSP comes to power, it is widely feared that Prashant Kishor will lose support among women — a very significant constituency in the current political landscape.

Over the last eight years, women have consistently supported the continuation of the liquor ban and overwhelmingly backed Nitish Kumar, since he imposed prohibition in early April 2016.

Political observers noted that Kishor, who has declared that JSP will contest all 243 assembly seats in next year’s polls, may find that his advocacy for ending prohibition will backfire during election year in the state. “If Prashant Kishor aggressively pursues this, most women will not support lifting prohibition and will vote against his party. It’s a risky game for him to talk about ending the liquor ban," an observer told The Federal.

Advantage Nitish

Kishor’s move to end prohibition could benefit Nitish, who has introduced several schemes to empower women, with prohibition leading to a drastic reduction in domestic violence and harassment by husbands.

This has been confirmed by multiple official surveys on the impact of prohibition. According to these surveys, nearly 99 per cent of women support the liquor ban and want it to continue, with a majority of men also in favour.

No clear stance

Interestingly, all non-JD(U) parties, including its ally BJP and the opposition RJD, have no clear stance on total prohibition in Bihar. However, they have never dared to announce lifting the prohibition.

Kishor first announced last month that he would lift the prohibition within an hour if elected to power, and last Sunday, he claimed he would end it within 15 minutes of coming to power in the state.

There are few supporters of Prashant Kishor’s claim that lifting the liquor ban would allow him to use tax revenue from liquor sales to build a world-class education system in Bihar.

It is true that Bihar has been incurring a loss of Rs 10,000-20,000 crore a year due to the liquor ban. Despite this, Nitish Kumar has so far not come under pressure from the liquor lobby to end prohibition and continues to fund education, health, roads, and infrastructure as usual.

Also read | PM diverted country’s wealth to Gujarat: Prashant Kishor’s swipe at Modi

Nitish has repeatedly reminded people that he imposed the liquor ban to fulfill a promise made to women in 2015 — that liquor would be banned if he returned to power. “Women demanded the liquor ban, and we fulfilled their demand,” he said.

Hooch tragedies

Official data from the Bihar Excise and Prohibition Department last month revealed that about 156 people have died in various hooch incidents in the state over the past eight years since the liquor ban was imposed. It further stated that 12.7 lakh people have been arrested for violating prohibition laws, and 8.43 lakh cases have been filed for prohibition violations.

According to department officials, more than 3.46 crore bulk litres of liquor, including country-made liquor, have been seized since the ban was imposed. The department also seized 1.24 lakh vehicles used for transporting liquor from different cities in the state.

It is also true that opposition RJD and ruling ally BJP leaders have described liquor prohibition as a big failure. The ground reality is that the government has been unable to check and control the illicit or “desi” liquor trade. Illicit liquor is freely available at cheaper rates in rural areas, and one hooch tragedy after another has been reported in the state, claiming the lives of more than 200 people, despite the ban on the manufacturing, storage, transportation, sale, and consumption of alcohol since April 2016.

Also read: Hooch tragedy kills 11 in dry Bihar; five held, SHO suspended

PK’s poll vault

After his promise to end prohibition, speculation is circulating about whether Prashant Kishor enjoys the support of a pro-liquor lobby, which is advocating for lifting the ban and possibly funding his political ambitions.

In recent months, questions have been raised about the sources of his funding, which he has been using to hire paid workers and leaders and to organise large events in Patna and district headquarters across the state. "There is speculation about where Prashant Kishor is getting so much funding. Is the liquor lobby financially supporting or funding his activities?" a political analyst asked.

Bihar is the home state of Kishor, who became known in political circles as a poll strategist who helped the BJP campaign led by Narendra Modi in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. After that, he worked for the Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad coalition in Bihar, which successfully defeated the BJP in the 2015 Assembly polls. He joined Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United in 2018 and was expelled in 2020 for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Population Register, and National Register of Citizens.

Later, Kishor worked as a poll strategist for several parties, including Congress, YSR Congress, Trinamool Congress, and others. Last year, he was in the news for expressing a keen interest in working for the revival of the Congress Party, and there was speculation that he might join it. However, his talks with the top Congress leadership reportedly failed, and he declined to join the party.