Bihar Congress MLC says centre misusing NHRC over hooch deaths

Patna: A senior Congress leader in Bihar, where the party is an alliance partner of the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan’, on Sunday alleged that the National Human Rights Commission was being “misused” like ED, CBI and other central agencies.

Congress MLC Prem Chandra Mishra made the allegation taking exception to the recent NHRC notice slapped on the Nitish Kumar government in the state over the Saran hooch tragedy.

“Does the NHRC really hold the view that hooch deaths amount to human rights violation? If it is so, why has the Commission not acted when similar incidents have happened in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana?” asked Mishra.

The Congress leader pointed out “Sale and consumption of alcohol are illegal in Bihar. Hence those who have died, lost their lives committing an illegal act, no matter how tragic their deaths were. The government in Bihar has been making efforts to implement prohibition like crackdowns on illegal distilleries”.

Bihar went dry in April 2016. The Saran hooch tragedy has been the biggest in the state since then. As per officials, 30 people have died though unconfirmed reports put the death over 50.

“In this backdrop, the NHRC should have refrained from acting as if it too has become an instrument in the hands of political power like CBI and ED”, alleged Mishra.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government should also desist from misusing statutory bodies to settle political scores”, he added.

Notably, the BJP had got stripped of power in Bihar in August when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar snapped ties over accusations that the party was trying to engineer a split in his JD(U).

The JD(U) de facto leader has, since been strongly advocating a "united opposition" for defeating the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls of 2024.