Patna: JD(U) on Sunday carried out an awareness campaign across Bihar on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti to foster an atmosphere in favour of liquor prohibition in the state.
The party workers took out 'Prabhat Pheri' early in the morning in all municipal wards and panchayats and held 'sankalp sabha' (Resolution Meeting) to promote awareness in favour of prohibition and 'Saat Nischay' (seven resolves).
"Prabhat pheri was taken out at the various levels of panchayat, ward, block and district across the state in order to create awareness among people for successful implementation of prohibition in the state," State party president Bashishtha Narayan Singh said.
He along with Water Resources Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and party workers participated in a 'prabhat pheri' from Panchmukhi temple on Boring Canal road in the state capital.
The workers and leaders took a pledge that they will not drink alcohol and dissuade people from drinking, Singh said, adding that creating awareness would help in smooth implementation of the Prohibition Act.
On September 26, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a state council meeting had asked the JD(U) leadership to take out campaign to create awareness among people in favour of liquor prohibition.
However, the Bihar government received a setback on September 30 when the Patna High Court struck down the government's notification that had put a blanket ban on liquor in the state.
But Kumar, whose government will challenge the High Court verdict in the apex court, had yesterday announced that the new Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 will be implemented from October 2, which was notified earlier in the day.
The new law banning liquor has more stringent provisions than the previous Act like arrest of all adults in the event of recovery of liquor in their house.
Opposition BJP yesterday asked Nitish Kumar to reconsider the government's decision to implement the new liquor law and suggested convening of an all-party meeting to discuss prohibition in future.
