Won't rest until culprits brought to book: Nitish

Lucknow: Coming out of slumber two days after the murder of senior journalist Rajdeo Ranjan in Siwan on Friday evening, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday pledged that he won't rest until the culprits were punished.

"Some incidents had happened in Bihar over which we all are very concerned and saddened," said Nitish in apparent reference to the road rage murder of teenager Aditya Sachdeva in Gaya involving expelled JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi's son Rocky Yadav and the murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan in Siwan.

"Until we bring the guilty to the book, we won't take rest," said Nitish, while addressing a public meeting on liquor ban here.

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to completely ban liquor in all BJP-ruled states. "If Modi would have not wanted, liquor could have not been banned in Gujarat. It means he too agrees that liquor should be banned."

"Once liquor is banned, the environment of love and amity will be created and people will stop fighting with each other," he said.

Citing Bihar's example, the chief minister said, "The number of accidents have been reduced (after liquor ban). Over all, incidents of crimes and accidents have come down, and in days to come, you will find people's health is also improving."

Stating that giving up liquor has several benefits, Nitish called upon people say no to liquor and spread the drive against liquor.

He also promised to extend his full support to the cause.

Saying that he was confident that the campaign of total prohibition of liquor would gain momentum in Uttar Pradesh as well, the chief minister said he was not here to disturb anybody. "I am here to do what is right. I have done the same in Bihar and I can see its impact there," he said.

"If you take Lohiyaji's name, then you should do something as well; give up liquor," he called upon people.

"Today, I heard that some people were trying to show me black flag. They can do what they want to because I don't get affected by this," said Nitish.

Maintaining that people used to say that there would be a revolt and would create problem for the government if the decision to ban liquor was taken, Nitish said: "I want to tell Akhileshji (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav): go ahead, and prohibit liquor in UP. Addicts will face some problems initially, but in the end everyone will be happy."

Appreciating the role played by women in eradicating the liquor menace, he said women played an important role in our campaign on prohibition of liquor in the state.

"When we completely banned liquor in Bihar, I got to know that women from Wardha and Chandrapur wanted to visit Patna to meet me and thank me. Later, a delegation comprising 13-14 women met me. Liquor was already banned in Wardha, which was Mhatama Gandhi's 'karmabhoomi' (place of work)," said the Bihar CM.