JD(U) neta urges CM to lift ban on toddy
Patna: CM
Nitish Kumar
was confronted with a bold demand to lift the ban on toddy during his visit to the JD(U) office on Monday with one party leader warning of electoral consequences if the matter is ignored.
Munna Chaudhary, who identifies as vice-president of JD(U)'s scheduled caste cell, told reporters that the CM directed party's state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha to look into the issue and submit a detailed report.
Munna urged Nitish to exclude toddy from the state's liquor prohibition law, arguing that it contains no liquor. "Toddy is not liquor. The Pasi community, which depends on toddy for livelihood, has suffered greatly since the blanket ban in 2016," he said.
He added that over 500 Pasis have died from falls while tapping toddy, yet victim families have not received any compensation. "Toddy is an integral part of our community's life and livelihood. The govt must pay attention to our plight," he said.
Nitish's impromptu visit to the party office surprised many and Munna seized the opportunity to hand over a letter outlining his demands.
The issue has gained political traction with RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav promising to lift the toddy ban if elected to power. NDA ally and HAM(S) patron Jitan Ram Manjhi has also repeatedly called for relaxation of prohibition laws.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
INDIA bloc scared of losing Bihar polls: NDA over opposition to revision of electoral rolls
FILE: In this image released by PMO on June 20, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Union Ministers Giriraj Singh, Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Chirag Paswan and others during the inauguration and foundation stone laying of various development projects at a public meeting, in Siwan, Bihar. Political tensions rise in Bihar. NDA leaders reject INDIA bloc's allegations regarding electoral roll revisions. They assert the opposition fears defeat in the upcoming assembly elections. Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi defend the revision process. They highlight its importance for transparency. The INDIA bloc plans to challenge the Election Commission. They express concerns about potential voter suppression. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Patna: A day after the INDIA bloc alleged that the intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar was being conducted to "help" the BJP in the assembly elections due later this year, NDA partners in the state claimed that the Mahagathbandhan was "scared of losing the polls".Union ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi , both of whom spoke to journalists here separately, claimed that the RJD-Congress-Left combine was trying to come up with an "excuse" for performing poorly in the who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), said, "The Representation of People Act, 1950, stipulates that such revision of electoral rolls be undertaken from time to time. This is to ensure transparency and remove anomalies like dead people's names being retained in voters' lists and those of existing ones missing."The Hajipur MP added, "Those who are raising questions over the exercise seem to be scared of the defeat that stares at them in the face. They have tried to blame their earlier losses on EVMs. This time they are coming up with a fresh excuse."Notably, the special intensive revision has started in the state with booth-level officers going door to door with separate sets of forms meant for voters of different age INDIA bloc had on Friday alleged that the BJP, which rules the Centre and shares power in the state, had put pressure on the Election Commission (EC) to undertake the exercise which could "lead to the deletion of names of those who were unlikely to vote for the NDA".The opposition coalition had also said it would send a delegation to place before the EC its objections, and warned of "future course of action" if the poll panel failed to respond a former chief minister who now represents Gaya Lok Sabha constituency, scoffed at the INDIA bloc for its tirade."I know of many seats where up to 20,000 bogus voters are registered. They (the opposition) would have liked to capitalise on this anomaly. Now, following the special intensive revision, names of such bogus voters would be struck off, much to their chagrin," he added.
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"Is he attacking me because I'm a Dalit, a woman?": Shambhavi Choudhary slams Prashant Kishor for his "feudal mindset"
Patna (Bihar) [India], June 28 (ANI): 'Targeting a Dalit woman who is progressing shows a feudal mindset,' said Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary slamming Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor for alleging that her father, Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary, 'paid' for her Lok Sabha ticket. Last month, during a press conference in Bihar's Jamui, Kishor had alleged that JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary had paid the LJP (Ram Vilas) to obtain the Samastipur Lok Sabha ticket for his daughter Shambhavi, who, at 25, won the seat in the 2024 general elections and became one of the youngest MPs. Later, Bihar minister and senior JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary filed a defamation case against Kishor over his allegation. In an interview with ANI, Shambhavi hit out at Kishor for his 'feudal mindset.' She described Kishor's comments as a personal attack, questioning why she was singled out when there are many other MPs in her party. The Lok Sabha MP said the Jan Suraaj Party chief's allegation showed his 'arrogance and ego.' As a third-generation politician, Shambhavi stressed that politics should be about ideologies, not 'personal attacks.' 'First of all, I don't think Prashant Kishor is worth the time ... should spend on. Yes, I do feel it was a personal attack. I come from a political family, and I'm a third-generation politician. One thing I've learned over the years is that politics is a fight between ideologies and not between individuals. Personal attacks should always be avoided. Politics is not a fight between individuals; we fight for the people and for our ideology. Prashant Kishor deliberately raised this issue in a press conference; it wasn't something he mentioned in private. He targeted me over my political background, and I don't understand why,' Shambhavi Choudhary told ANI. Shambhavi emphasised that Kishor's remarks demonstrate his 'feudal mindset.' 'Is he attacking me because I'm a Dalit? Because I'm a woman? Or because he thinks I'm a scapegoat? If he wanted to criticise the Lok Janshakti Party, there are many MPs he could have chosen. Why only me? Targeting a Dalit woman who is progressing shows a feudal mindset. This kind of attack only reflects his arrogance and ego,' Choudhary said. Shambhavi Choudhary had defeated the Congress party's candidate, Sunny Hazari, by 1,87,251 votes in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. She is a third-generation politician. Her grandfather, late Mahavir Choudhary, represented four assembly constituencies - Rajauli, Jehanabad (SC), Makhdumpur and Barbigha - for eight terms in an illustrious career spanning four decades and also served as minister in Congress governments in Bihar. Shambhavi's father, Ashok Choudhary, is one of the most influential ministers in Nitish Kumar's cabinet. He had switched to JD(U) from Congress. Bihar elections are expected to be held later this year in October or November; however, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet announced the dates. While the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is seeking to retain power, the INDIA bloc, which includes the RJD and Congress, is seeking to oust it. Jan Suraaj, led by Prashant Kishor, is also seeking the mandate of the people. (ANI)
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Row in Bihar over EC push for new rolls as Tejashwi targets Centre; NDA hits back
Amid the Opposition's mounting concerns over the Election Commission (EC)'s 'special intensive revision (SIR)' of the electoral rolls in Bihar just months ahead of the state Assembly elections, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has questioned the intent and timing of the exercise, asking the need for such a sweeping revision barely a year after the use of the same voter list in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. 'The 2024 Lok Sabha elections were conducted on the basis of this very voter list, in which the public voted and a government was formed. Now, if this same list was wrong, does it mean the assistant electoral officers appointed at that time prepared a faulty list? Does this not raise questions on the legitimacy of the government formed on the basis of that list?' asked Tejashwi, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Bihar Assembly. As per the EC's directions, each existing elector will have to submit an individual enumeration form. Those added to the rolls after January 1, 2003 – the year of the last intensive revision – will additionally have to provide the proof of their citizenship. Providing the rationale for its order, the EC said that 'during the last 20 years, significant change in electoral roll has taken place due to additions and deletions on a large scale', and 'rapid urbanisation and frequent migration of population from one place to another… have become a regular trend'. This 'special intensive revision' will eventually cover all states and Union Territories (UTs), the EC said. Electors whose enumeration forms are not received by July 25 will be deleted from the roll. Deletions can be contested from August 1 to September 1. While the EC is yet to provide an exact number of electors who will be required to furnish proof of citizenship, about 3 crore electors have been added to electoral rolls in Bihar since 2003. Tejashwi said the sudden move to scrap the existing voter rolls and require all citizens to apply afresh raises questions on the legitimacy of the elections that saw the BJP-led NDA come to power at the Centre. The LoP described the timing and scale of the revision as 'deeply suspicious and worrying', and alleged that the exercise is being undertaken at the behest of the Centre with the BJP and its ally, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), 'panicking' ahead of the Assembly polls. Tejashwi also questioned the feasibility of the exercise, claiming that the 'last such revision took nearly two years', while the current process is being attempted in a matter of weeks during the peak monsoon season, when 73% of Bihar is prone to floods. 'Should government employees and citizens be saving lives from floods or collecting documents for the Election Commission?' he said. The RJD leader further alleged that the new process 'disproportionately' targets the poor, Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), minorities, and young voters, many of whom, he added, lack the documents now required for inclusion in the fresh rolls. Yadav claimed that even Aadhaar and MGNREGA identity cards were not being accepted as valid proof amid the current exercise to link Aadhaar with the voter list to prevent duplication. Apart from documents such as passport, birth certificate, Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate, an extract of one's parents' names in Bihar's electoral roll of Bihar as of January 1, 2003 'will be considered as a sufficient document in itself', the EC said. According to Tejashwi, nearly 4.8 crore voters under the age of 40 (those who registered to vote after 2003) will now be required to prove their citizenship or that of their parents within a one-month window. 'Of these, about 4% – aged 39 to 40 (born before July 1, 1987) – will have to provide their own citizenship documents. Around 85% – voters aged 20 to 38 (those born between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004) – will be required to present at least one parent's citizenship documents, while 11% – aged 18 to 20 – will have to submit citizenship documents for both parents,' he said. Tejashwi cited government data showing that only a small fraction of the population possesses the documents now demanded by the EC. 'According to the Government of India's National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3, only 2.8% of children born between 2001 and 2005 had a birth certificate. It is clear that among those born between 1965 and 1985, this number would be negligible… According to NFHS-2, only 10% to 13% of men aged 40 to 60 have completed high school… According to the India Human Development Survey (2011–12), about 20% of SCs and about 25% of OBCs possess a caste certificate. Among upper castes, this proportion is even lower, so on average, less than 20% of families have this certificate,' he said. The LoP also pointed out that although the EC has listed 11 documents as valid for voter registration, only three – birth certificate, matriculation certificate, and caste certificate – were 'relatively common'. Tejashwi warned that the revision could disenfranchise a large number of electors, particularly among the most vulnerable groups, and called on the EC to reconsider the move. 'Is this democracy, where long-time voters are forced to run from pillar to post to prove their identity?' he asked. In Bihar, the RJD leads the Opposition Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), which also comprises the Congress and the Left parties. However, state JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told The Indian Express, 'This is routine work for the EC, and Opposition parties making political statements about it is very irresponsible… The revision of the electoral roll is beneficial for everyone, it's an opportunity to include more people in the democratic process.' State BJP spokesperson Manoj Sharma said, 'The EC has demonstrated its capability by successfully conducting elections in such a vast country, setting a global example for large-scale democratic processes… However, for those parties that have so far depended on fake voters and bogus voting, this is a cause for concern. In Bihar, the EC has already put a stop to incidents of booth capturing, and now it is working to clamp down on bogus voting. So, raising questions about the Election Commission's credibility is completely unwarranted.'
