Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, December 17
Left parties in the seven parties Grand Alliance government have opposed the Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar decision not to provide relief to the families of the victims of hooch tragedy in Saran.
The Left parties have announced they would organise state wide protest demonstrations on Monday demanding compensation to the affected families.
Nitish Kumar has said the victims did not deserve even Sympathy, compensation was a foreign word for them. The CPI, CPM, CPI( ML) supporting his government have 19 members in the legislature.
At a press conference here today, thier leaders said those killed in the liquor tragedy were not criminals, they fell victim to the poor enforcement of prohibition.
A team of CPI( ML) leaders visited Mashrak and Marhoura in Saran and met the families of the victims of hooch tragedy. They interacted with the local village heads and discovered direct involvement of the political leaders in illicit liquor trade.
“Politicians have direct involvement with liquor mafia,” they alleged.
Liquor mafia has been patronised by the local civil and police officers, Left leaders claimed.
According to the Left leaders, to avoid prosecution under the Excise Act,2016, families of many victims cremated bodies without prosecution. They did not take their relatives to hospital as they feared they would be arrested and Rs 5000 would be fined on them for first violation of prohibition law.
The former union minister and member of Lok Sabha from Saran, Rajiv Pratap Rudy who met the families and survivors claimed 150 people have died in last three days after consuming liquor. However, administration admitted 76 deaths.
The BJP had already grilled the Chief Minister on the issue.
