Patna, Aug 23 (IANS): Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Tuesday appealed to people to vote only for those who will lift the liquor ban in the state.

Addressing people at Mangrawa Mahadalit Tola village in Gaya district, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief said that liquor has been banned in the state since the last seven years, and only the poor people are getting penalised due to this law.

“Everyone knows that most IAS, IPS officers, doctors, builders, contractors, ministers, and political leaders consume liquor after 10 p.m., but they do not get penalszed. On the other hand, poor labourers who drink at the end of a hard day's work become criminals as they become easy targets for the police and the excise department,” Manjhi said.

"The police and the excise officials chase the poor people and beat them up at Mangrawa Mahadalit Tola. I want to appeal to the people to vote for only those who will lift the ban on 'tari' (palm juice) and liquor,” Manjhi said.

“Since the imposition of the liquor ban, over 5 lakh people have been arrested, of which 3.5 lakh are labourers or poor people. Liquor is also banned in Gujarat and Jharkhand, but such a situation never arises there,” the HAM chief said.