Bihar CM to campaign in Noida for ban on alcohol

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will launch a liquor ban campaign covering western UP and the National Capital Region (NCR) from Noida on June 29 after having received an ‘overwhelming response’ in eastern Uttar Pradesh, especially among women. Kumar has already enforced prohibition in his home state.

“On June 29, Nitish Kumar will be in Noida. He will address Janata Dal-United (JD-U) workers and kickstart the liquor ban campaign in western UP and the NCR. He will carry forward his mission -- liquor-free society and RSS-free India. The liquor ban initiative is a hit among women in eastern UP districts. A similar response is expected in west UP,” state JD-U president Suresh Niranjan Bhaiya told HT. 

He revealed that women in Mirzapur, Sonbhadra and Bhadohi districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh strongly backed the liquor ban when JD-U workers sought their support for a party meeting that Nitish Kumar will address in Mirzapur on June 18. The JD-U leaders held 300 meetings, one in each village in the three districts. 

“What is encouraging for us is that rural women shouted ‘Nitish Kumar Zindabad’, (Nitish Kumar, we support you) when we visited them in the remote rural areas of Sonbhadra, Bhadohi and Mirzapur,” Niranjan said.  

A senior JD-U leader, who attended several meetings in rural pockets in the bordering districts, reveals that the response is far more overwhelming than the senior leaders expected.

The JD-U workers first meet the locals and then invite them to a common place where they address them. Later they ask them to speak about the issues which they want to be resolved on priority basis. Women, especially, are requested to give their opinion. 

Bhaiya said, “The JD-U started the campaign for a liquor ban in UP from eastern part. The party will take it to every part of UP. After Mirzapur, the JD-U workers plan to meet in Noida, Allahabad, Kanpur, Bareilly and Faizabad.”

The Bihar chief minister addressed a massive state level JD-U workers’ rally in Pindara, Varanasi, last month when he called upon the party workers to raise awareness and make efforts for a blanket ban on liquor in UP.