Akshay Anand

The Alcohol Ban in Bihar was a short-sighted decision- Akshay Anand | Bihar Dialogues 2020

• Alcohol Ban in Bihar was a short-sighted decision.
• Since alcohol was one of the major revenue sources in Bihar, the ban had a destructive impact on the treasure of the state.
• Looking at the data from various sources, after the alcohol ban the cases of drug abuse in Bihar have increased tremendously.
• Tourism industry of Bihar is going through a set back because of the Ban.

Purushottam Kumar

Illicit liquor trade is flourishing – Purushottam Kumar | Bihar Dialogues 2020

• The alcohol ban in Bihar has triggered illicit sale of country made liquor across the state.
• Bihar has suffered a huge loss in revenue because of the Ban.
• Liquor ban has resulted in loss of jobs for the people working in liquor manufacturing units
• The decision seemed to be taken in a hurry and with almost no preparation.

Pankaj Yadav

It was a decision to empower the women of Bihar- Pankaj Yadav | Bihar Dialogues 2020

• Drinks such as tea, coffee, alcohol were introduced by the westerners in India and has never been a part of our culture.
• The ban was imposed to empower the women of Bihar by tackling the issue of domestic violence.
• The figures of crimes in the state dropped drastically.
• Mahila Ayog praised the decision, said the families and women will benefit from the ban.

Rajnish Kumar Pathak

Cheap quality liquor has made it worse- Rajnish K Pathak | Bihar Dialogues 2020

• Due to the high illiteracy rate of Bihar, many of them are not aware of the effects of alcohol on their health and lifestyle.
• People living in poverty can’t afford good quality liquor and hence they go with cheap liquor made of ‘urea’ and ‘mahua’ which further worsens the situation.
• An average rickshaw-wala in Bihar spends almost 50% of his income on alcohol.
• Cases of sexual harassment, domestic violence, and road accidents have witnessed a decline after the alcohol Ban.

Ayushi Anand

Alcohol Ban was a good decision- Ayushi Anand | Bihar Dialogues 2020

• Many families suffer due to alcohol abuse.
• Alcohol addiction is one of the primary causes of increased domestic violence.
• Financial conditions of already poor families deteriorate if a member becomes an alcohol addict.
• Alcohol addiction is a major hindrance for a developing society.

Rupesh Kumar

Not alcohol but excessive alcohol is the issue- Rupesh Kumar | Bihar Dialogues 2020

• The alcohol ban in Bihar infringes the human rights.
• Everything in excess has a negative impact. Hence it is not alcohol but excessive alcohol which becomes detrimental.
• Illicit trade of liquor is flourishing across the state and has resulted in increased crime rates.
• It came out to be a decision with good intentions but poor execution.

Ashish Kumar Chaudhary

The Ban didn’t serve it’s purpose- Ashish K Chaudhary | Bihar Dialogues 2020

• The ban was imposed to reduce crimes in the state but the outcome was in contrast to the goal.
• In some villages, children from poor families are being used to home deliver illicit liquor.
• With illicit liquor trade, increased crime rates, the ban has clearly failed to serve its purpose.
• Looking at the inflation in Bihar, we can say that overall the decision came out to be a social-political-economical disaster.

JUDGES

Mr. Abhishek Ranjan

Alcohol ban had an emotional background: Mr. Abhishek Ranjan | Bihar Dialogues 2020

• National Youth Parliament is a great initiative to bring youth to participate in politics.
• Alcohol ban was not only just a socio-economic-political affair but there was also an emotional angle to it.
• Impacts as well as the background behind this extreme decision are equally important.
• Bihar’s youth is enriched with tremendous potential.

Dr. Pankaj Mishra

Alcohol in India is not an influence of western civilizations: Dr. Pankaj Mishra | Bihar Dialogues 2020

• Debates such as Bihar Dialogues 2020 act as a foundation for a better future of society.
• Thoughts in a debate should not be self-contradictory. One should make a solid point and stay firm on it.
• We should stop blaming westerners for everything we don’t consider a part of our society.
• Alcohol consumption was prevalent in Bihar even before the Britishers visited India.