The death of 16 people in Bihar’s Gopalganj district after they consumed hooch reaffirms well-known fears regarding the impact of prohibition of alcohol. Liquor bans drive the alcohol trade underground, encourage the production and sale of hooch, force economically weaker sections of society to consume cheaper but more lethal illicit liquor and leaves them vulnerable to deadly tragedies as those in Gopalganj. It did not require the 16 people of Gopalganj to lose their lives after consuming hooch to open our eyes to the perils of prohibition. There are countless instances of hooch tragedies in states where prohibition was in force.
Indeed, such states appear to be more prone to such tragedies as evident from the experience of Gujarat, which has lost over 400 people to illicit liquor since prohibition was imposed there in 1961. A hooch tragedy in 2009 claimed 136 lives in this state. The tragedy in Gopalganj was waiting to happen, especially after the Bihar government imposed the prohibition of alcohol in the state. The decision to impose prohibition may have been well-intended. Alcohol consumption imposes a great burden on a family’s limited resources and is known to fuel domestic violence. However, liquor bans have never worked anywhere in the world. Importantly, it is not the way to address problems like poverty; there isn’t evidence to show that a liquor ban can address economic impoverishment, for instance. Besides, alcohol consumption, alcoholism and alcohol-fuelled violence are better addressed through improving public access to de-addiction centres and counselling.
The Bihar government’s response to the Gopalganj tragedy is disappointing. Its Excise Department has denied that consu-mption of hooch caused the deaths. According to media reports, officials have instructed kin of the deceased to deny that alcohol was consumed. It does seem that the Nitish Kumar government wants to maintain the façade that its prohibition policy is working well when clearly it has not. It must end its ostrich-like approach and revisit the ill-advised measure. Lifting the liquor ban will force the business above ground and thus make it amenable to regulation and monitoring. It would make bootlegging a less lucrative business. Importantly, it would allow those who want to consume liquor access to safer options. Prohibition of alcohol must end.The illicit liquor business is a lucrative one especially when prohibition is in force. Powerful vested interests, including police and politicians are known to be part of this trade, making it all the more difficult to dismantle. Yet, it is only by breaking the bootlegger-police-politician nexus that the manufacture and sale of illicit alcohol can be prevented. A one-time crackdown on bootleggers will not do.
Published 19 August 2016, 18:24 IST