Bihar: School Teachers Now Asked to Enforce Liquor Prohibition

Patna: Thousands of teachers of government-run schools in dry Bihar on Saturday threatened to launch a protest against the latest directive of the government ordering them to keep an eye on people consuming liquor, identify the suppliers’ manufacturing units and pass the information to prohibition and excise department’s toll-free numbers.

Teachers are angry over this directive, and they expressed a threat to their lives from the powerful liquor mafia and local liquor traders.

The state government issued a directive that asked education department officials to direct the headmasters, teachers of the elementary, middle and higher secondary schools and volunteers to identify the suppliers, manufacturers and consumers of liquor. Different teachers’ organisations have opposed it and demanded its withdrawal.

The directive was issued by the additional chief secretary (education) Sanjay Kumar to all the regional deputy directors (education), district education officers and district programme officers on Friday. It further said the credentials of the informers would be kept confidential.

This is the first time that the government has decided to involve school teachers to enforce prohibition since it was imposed in early April 2016 by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The government directive has also asked the officials to ensure that the premises of educational institutions were not used for drinking liquor.

Bihar Rajya Prarambhik Shikshak Sangh leader Pradeep Kumar Pappu told NewsClick that this directive to teachers to work on the ground to enforce total prohibition is “tughlaqi” and that they would oppose it at all levels. “Teachers are angry and shocked over this directive of the government. We have decided to stage statewide protest against it if they do not withdraw it.”

Pappu said all the leaders and members of the Sangh from district to block-level have been informed about the decision to oppose this directive. “Teachers will burn the copies of the order on January 30 at all block headquarters across the state to protest.”

Bihar Rajya Prathmik Shikshak Sangh working president Manoj Kumar said teachers will oppose the government’s move to engage them to implement prohibition. “This is a dangerous order and is set to increase the threat to lives of teachers because now the powerful liquor mafia will target them.”

Manoj said the Sangh is writing a letter to the government to withdraw the directive immediately.” Teachers will protest against the directive and will not work as directed if the government failed to withdraw it.

TET, STET Qualified Teachers Association’s state spokesperson Ashwani Pandey highlighted how school teachers were being asked to substitute the police to stop liquor smuggling.” It appears that Bihar Education Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary will expose the family of the school teachers to the liquor mafia and criminals involved in the lucrative liquor trade. If the armed police officials and intelligence officials failed to act against the liquor mafia and check the liquor trade, how will school teachers do it?”

Similarly, Bihar Panchayat Nagar Prarambhik Shikshak Sangh state spokesperson Mustafa Azad said teachers had been forced to warn the government to withdraw the directive or face agitation against it.” Teachers will take to the streets to protest against the directive after February 5.”

Opposition Mahagathbabdhan including the Left parties also criticised the government and demanded to withdraw the directive.

Leaders of different organisations of school teachers said the state government has been involving teachers in various non-teaching jobs like mid-day meal, cattle census, general census, election duties, pulse polio campaign, duty at COVID-19 vaccination and distribution of poshahar.

Last year the Bihar government’s directive to teachers to sell gunny bags used to supply mid-day meals (MDM) in schools. Earlier, the government directed school teachers to prevent people from defecating in the open and convince them to abandon the unhygienic practice. On both occasions, teachers opposed the government’s moves.

Illicit liquor consumption again claimed the lives of at least six people in the Buxar district two days ago. This was the third hooch incident in January in the state. The first was reported in Nitish Kumar’s home district of Nalanda, where 13 people died after consuming illicit liquor, and 18 people died in Saran district after consuming illicit liquor.

These hooch incidents within a month were a big embarrassment for Kumar, allowing his ruling ally BJP to question how the liquor mafia was freely doing business everywhere despite the much-hyped police operation to ensure prohibition for the past two months.

Last year, illicit liquor claimed 95 lives, including 45 in November alone.

Opposition leaders have repeatedly stressed that prohibition has failed in the state, and rather than slowing down, illicit liquor trade has become one of the most lucrative businesses, along with illegal sand mining in the state. In both the businesses, the powerful mafia enjoys the support and help of local police, politicians and administrative officials by paying a share of profit.

In recent months, reports of the liquor mafia attacking police teams have increased manifold, which is seen as a part of organised crime in the state.