Patna, Dec. 26 – Union Minister and HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi blasted the Bangladeshi government for recent attacks on the Hindu minority during Friday’s briefing. He warned that a government’s core responsibility is to shield all its citizens, and the sense of insecurity felt by Hindus in Bangladesh signals a governance failure.
Manjhi underscored that, just as India upholds the safety and harmony of its own minority communities, Bangladesh must also act decisively to protect its Hindu residents. He said the Indian state has taken a “firm and clear stand” on the matter, conveying deep concern over the worsening situation and insisting that selective targeting of a group cannot remain an internal dispute. He urged the global community to apply pressure to address the crisis.
In a separate discussion, the minister addressed Bihar’s liquor ban. While acknowledging Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s intention to curb alcohol consumption, Manjhi criticized the manner in which the prohibition is being enforced. He pointed out that the current system disproportionately impacts the poor and economically vulnerable, whereas major offenders – senior officials and organized traffickers – slip through the cracks. According to him, over half of those convicted under the prohibition law in Bihar come from lower‑income sections of society.
Manjhi argued that true success would come if the state also focused on apprehending high‑profile users and the liquor “mafia.” He described the practice of arresting petty offenders and touting statistics as self‑congratulatory, while the main perpetrators remain free to operate. Citing Gujarat’s experience, he proposed that Bihar adopt a more practical enforcement strategy that balances effective prohibition goals with minimizing undue hardship for ordinary citizens.
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