JOIN USBihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday demanded a nationwide ban on consumption of liquor.
Addressing a national convention of the Janata Dal-United, he said Bihar witnessed a drastic decline in crime rate, road accidents and cases of mental disorders and other ailments caused by the consumption of liquor, since his government prohibited it in the state.
The JD(U) president also used the opportunity to attack the Congress and Left parties, asking why they could not support a ban on liquor and campaign against its consumption.
"When Gujarat could implement liquor ban, when Bihar also showed that it could be banned in the state, why can't it be banned in the entire country," Kumar asked, addressing a party event here. He exhorted party members to work towards spreading awareness on the adverse impacts of liquor consumption on human body and mind.
He said that all religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism, criticise liquor consumption. A nationwide ban on liquor consumption would be the "biggest sign" of communal harmony and respect to all religions, he said.
Since liquor was banned in Bihar, Kumar said, incidents of road accidents have gone down by about 31%, mental disorders by 33% and depression a whopping 81%, while the income of people has gone up by 75%.
The Bihar government had imposed a ban on liquor in the state in April 2016.