Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary: Prohibition to stay; govt to crack down hard on violators

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Written by: Santosh Singh4 min readPatnaApr 18, 2026 05:28 AM IST Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary offers prayers at Baba Harihar Nath temple in Sonepur, Saran district, on Friday. (PTI) Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said Friday the state would scrutinise the identities of about 22 lakh people as part of a special drive to identify “infiltrators”, adding that action has already begun against those whose names were deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He told the media the former CM had drawn a “big line of governance” and he felt burdened to do something “extraordinary” to continue receiving the love and faith of the people. He said he was committed to following the rich legacies of two major leaders: PM Narendra Modi and former CM Nitish Kumar. “Nitish Kumar has shown us how one can reach the pinnacle of politics by following a development agenda,” said the CM. “We have set a November [2026] target for realising investments worth Rs 5 lakh crore. Unless big industries come to Bihar, there will not be a major boost to revenue,” he said, dismissing the Opposition’s allegations that the state is facing a financial crisis. Choudhary was interacting with the media in an informal conversation for the first time after taking over as Bihar CM. “We have started scrutinising the identity of about 22 lakh people whose names were deleted during the SIR process. We will soon start a special drive to identify infiltrators,” he said. Asked if those without proper identity could be sent back, the CM said: “Yahan reh kar kya karenge (What will they do by living here)?” He added: “Some of the deleted names could be ghosts, some real. We have already started cancelling [Aadhaar Redacted] cards, driving licences and bank passbooks of people whose names were deleted and whose identities are doubtful.” While the CM did not specify areas where infiltrators were being searched, he said they were “mostly in bordering regions”. Asked if prohibition could be lifted, Choudhary said: “PM Narendra Modi and former CM Nitish Kumar support it fully. In fact, the PM said at a Patna function that prohibition was the best decision of Nitish Kumar’s tenure as CM. But we will crack down on the illegal liquor trade, especially spurious liquor that has caused several hooch tragedies in recent years.” He said the government had decided that the CMO would directly monitor complaints at the levels of police stations, blocks and circles. “If we have effective District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police, we will have fewer complaints.” He said while the new government would follow the NDA manifesto, it had asked each department to divide fund allocations into three segments: establishment costs, welfare schemes and revenue generation. Asked what he had learned from Nitish Kumar, the CM said: “When we used to meet Lalu Prasad, he would never talk about serious things like bijli, sadak and paani (electricity, roads and water). But whenever we met Nitish Kumar, it was always about issues and what should be done next. I have the rich legacies of two big leaders, the PM and former CM Nitish Kumar. I have to do something extraordinary to continue to get the faith and love of people.” Choudhary said the government would allow more colleges and universities and could ask private medical colleges to reserve 25% of seats for the government so students can pursue medical degrees at government fee levels. He said: “…To begin with, we are trying to develop 15 towns in Bihar with modern facilities.” Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. Expertise He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.   ... Read More Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram