Patna, Dec 16: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said Friday his government would not provide financial compensation to the families of those killed by consuming spurious/illegal liquor. The Janata Dal (United) boss - under sustained fire from the opposition after the death toll from the latest hooch tragedy in the nominally dry state crossed 50 - told the state Assembly 'no compensation will be given' and underlined his 'if you drink, you will die warning.

 

 

 

The chief minister was responding to a demand by Communist Party of India (CPI) MLA Satyendra Yadav for monetary compensation to bereaved family members - a request that appeared to visibly irritate Nitish Kumar.

 

 

 

"No compensation will be given to people who died after drinking. Those who drink and lose their lives as a result... deserve no sympathy (koi sahanubhuti nahin) and no compensation. We have been appealing - if you drink, you will die. (Remember)... those who talk in favor of drinking will not bring any good to you..." the chief minister was quoted by news agencies. "Please do not take such a stand... have always looked upon Left parties as allies... if you people feel prohibition is wrong then say upfront. The law was brought in with the consent of all. If all today think we were in the wrong, we may withdraw it," he said. "But do remember deaths have taken place because of a filthy habit (ganda baat)." The CM's statement came before the lunch recess and after a walkout by BJP MLAs. Earlier today lawmakers from the BJP - now in the opposition after Nitish Kumar in August broke ties with his former ally in favor of the Rashtriya Janata Dal - took out a 'protest march' led by Leader of the Opposition Vijay Sinha to governor Phagu Chauhan's residence. Sinha was quoted by the news agency PTI as saying the events in Saran were 'state-sponsored mass murder'. The BJP's march came amid reports of at least 30 deaths in the district. Before the march opposition MLAs created a ruckus in the Bihar Assembly as deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was answering a question. In videos shared by the news agency ANI, they could be heard shouting slogans and one member was seen carrying a chair. The Nitish Kumar government has banned the sale and consumption of alcohol in the state since April 2016 - a ban that has remained despite fierce protests by opposition parties and sketchy implementation of the rules, which leads to regular tragic episodes such as this. An embattled Nitish Kumar - who faces calls to resign on this and other issues - has insisted the ban 'has benefitted several people'. "A large number of people have given up alcohol...this is good. Several people have accepted... but there are some troublemakers... have told officers to identify and capture them," he told reporters on Thursday.

 

Also Read: Arrogant Nitish's insensitive comment on illegal liquor deaths: If you drink liquor you'll die 

 

The chief minister also lashed out at those who drink despite the ban and warned 'peeyoge toh maroge' - a remark that kicked up even more controversy. The hooch tragedy deaths were also mentioned in Parliament yesterday and the furor that followed forced three adjournments of the Upper House in less than 40 minutes.