The biggest hoax, in terms of government policy, being played anywhere in the country is prohibition in the state of Bihar. And the ruinous—and amazing—thing is that it has been going on for the last nine years, even though everybody who is affected by it—politicians, bureaucrats, the people, drinkers and abstainers—know without an iota of doubt that it is not working.

The decision was announced in 2016 by chief minister Nitish Kumar. To his credit, he probably conceived of it as an attempt to curb addiction, reduce domestic violence, and improve public health. It was also seen by his supporters as a progressive step in one of the poorest states. However, any one with a modicum of administrative sense, knows that total Prohibition is an impossible policy to implement. On the contrary, it can have disastrous consequences.

This has been proved beyond all doubt in Bihar. Alcohol is, literally, available everywhere, albeit at higher prices; an organised mafia has come into existence to ensure this; the police force in complicit in its functioning; corruption has grown exponentially; the police are particularly corrupted, and distracted from their basic duty of upholding law and order; cross-border smuggling is rampant; spurious liquor is being made and sold in large quantities and the Saran incident in 2022, in which as many as 70 people died after drinking toxic alcohol, stands as one witness to........

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