Recalling the third review of the ban, Manjhi noted assurances that minor offenders would not be targeted. Yet, reality tells a different story. ‘Cops nab those with a single pouch but release mafia consignments worth lakhs for a cut,’ he charged. Illegal home deliveries and influx of costly out-of-state liquor are bleeding the state’s economy, with public money flowing out unchecked.

The controversy reignited after RLM legislator Madhav Anand raised the issue in the legislative assembly during the budget session. Anand called for a decade-long assessment of gains versus losses from the April 2016 ban, admitting home deliveries persist despite strict laws. He commended Nitish’s bold step but urged a pragmatic reevaluation.

Manjhi’s broadside underscores a policy paradox: intended to curb alcoholism and empower women, it’s instead fueling corruption and black marketeering. State revenues have plummeted, health claims remain unproven, and enforcement reeks of selective vigilantism.

With Bihar’s politics heating up, this critique from an NDA ally could pressure the CM into action. As Manjhi demands introspection, the liquor ban’s future hangs in balance, pitting social ideals against economic realities and governance failures.