Govt gives only five hours to suggest amendments to Excise Bill: SuMo

Patna: The leader of opposition in the legislative council and former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi (SuMo) on Friday criticized the state government for providing only five hours for suggesting amendments to the new Bihar Prohibition and Excise Bill 2016. The new Bill was tabled in the lower House on Friday at 10am and amendments were sought by 3pm. How would it be possible to go through the 44-page new Bill with 100 clauses in such a short period, SuMo asked. “It needs at least two days to go through such an important Bill before suggesting some amendments. In fact, the government is not serious in inviting any suggestions,” he said. SuMo said there were several serious controversial clauses in the new Bill, which needed to be amended. “Despite very little time given to political parties, we will certainly give certain amendments for putting pressure on the government for deleting the controversial clauses in the new Bill,” he said. “On a crucial issue like bringing new law on excise and prohibition, the government should seek wider consultation with all the parties and then take a final call in the larger interest of the people,” he said. SuMo categorically said his party would oppose the ban on toddy. Expressing concern over the short session of the legislature, he said due to this discussion on many important issues of public interest would not be possible. Citing an example, he said on Friday the matter related to education was scheduled to be discussed in the House. But now, this would not be possible. As a result, important matters like inter topper scam and non-payment of salary to secondary teachers would not be raised, he said. He pointed out that over 50,000 teachers of secondary and higher secondary schools have not received their salary for the last five months. Similarly, more than two lakh primary teachers have also not got salary for three-four months. The state, he said, is facing a major financial crisis in view of the implementation of total prohibition. This has led to non-implementation of crop insurance scheme in Bihar, non-distribution of relief materials to flood-hit people and non-payment of salary to teachers. Even though major parts of Bihar are facing heavy floods, the state government has miserably failed to launch relief operations on a suitable scale, he said.