Hundreds of ex-servicemen across Bihar today took out a protest march here and submitted a petition to Governor Ramnath Kovind seeking exemption from the prohibition law so that they could have their quota of alcohol which they claimed had become "medicine" for them while serving in the force.
President of Bihar state ex-servicemen league N K Singh said the retired defence personnel were agitated over denial of alcohol for them after the new excise law came into force in Bihar.
"This is taking a toll on our health as liquor has become medicine for us while working in defence force for long," he said.
The Army Act provides us alloted quota of alcohol daily, he said, adding this was followed even in states where alcohol is banned.
Singh claimed that more than 1300 defence personnel including some still in service have been arrested carrying liquor bottles in various parts of the state so far.
"The arrest of a defence man in uniform by police itself is wrong," he said.
A member of the League Mohan Rawat described the prohibition law in Bihar as "draconian" and sought exemption for defence personnel, serving as well ex-servicemen.
"The present government is denying facilities bestowed upon us by the Ministry of Defence. Moreover, our serving and retired personnels, who are not even aware of the recent prohibition laws imposed in Bihar, are being arrested, their service career jeopardised on flimsy reasons for carrying authorised liquor issued by their services units," he said.
Singh asked the state government to exempt them from the new liquor law failing which, he warned of an intensified agitation by them in future.
"This 'black law' (prohibition) is demorlising the morale of the defence personnel from Bihar who constitute around 11 per cent of the total army personnel in the country," he said.
The protestors took out a march from Hathikhana Mor in Danapur to Raj Bhawan but were stopped near Rajbansi nagar roundabout where they submitted a memorandum addressed to Governor Ramnath Kovind to a magistrate.
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