Opposition BJP today rejected the Bihar government's claim that crime rate has fallen in the state since total prohibition was implemented in April, and cited figures of May indicating 13.5 per cent increase in heinous crimes.
"The state government has constantly been claiming that the rate of crime has dropped since prohibition was implemented in April this year. It is true that there was a drop in the crime figures in April. But the government's own figure for the month of May belies its claim," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi told reporters.
Citing figures collected from the state government's official website, Modi said the state registered an increase of 13.5 per cent in cognisable offence which went upto 16,208 in May from 14,279 in April this year.
As per the data, 209 murder cases were registered in May in comparison to 192 cases in April, registering a 9 per cent increase.
He said 100 robbery cases were registered in April which went upto 154 in May, which is an increase of 54 per cent.
The incidents of rape witnessed 29 per cent increase in the month of May, the BJP leader said, adding that 61 rape cases were registered in April but it increased to 79 in May.
Similarly, 638 cases of kidnapping were reported in May which was 599 in April, Modi told reporters on the sidelines of his weekly 'Janata Darbar'.
He said 73 incidents of road robbery were reported in April but it went upto 127 cases in May.
Modi said the government has not uploaded the crime figures for June so far and hence he was talking on the basis of figures available for the month of May.
With the figure of just one month since prohibition was enforced, the state government jumped to the conclusion that prohibition helped in containing crime, he said.
"But the fact is prohibition has no direct correlation with crime. The government should have waited for at least 7-8 months before reaching any conclusion. Had it been true, the incidents of crime would not have increased," Modi said.
On the amended Excise Law, he said he came to know through newspapers that the state government was coming out with a stringent provision which would enable the police to arrest all adult members of a family if a liquor bottle is found in anyone's house.
Terming the amended law as a "Talibani Act", he said it was implemented in haste without taking steps for creating a conducive atmosphere for implementing prohibition.
"The government should reconsider the proposed amendment.
It sounds ridiculous. The provision of arresting all adult members of a family does not find place even in heinous crimes like murder and rape," he said.
Modi alleged that Nitish Kumar was moving only in BJP-ruled states with message of prohibition with "politics in mind."
"Why is he not touring West Bengal, Delhi and Congress ruled states to spread the message of benefits of prohibition," he asked.
In reply to a question on RJD president Lalu Prasad's announcement today that RJD will not contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections, Modi said, "He should state clearly whether he would side with Nitish Kumar in UP or his relative and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
