Pasis defy ban, consume toddy at Gandhi Maidan

Patna: A large number of Pasi community members gathered at Gandhi Maidan on Monday and consumed toddy to protest the state government's prohibition on its sale and consumption in open market places.
Members of the Pasi community, most of them being toddy tappers, demanded from the state government to come out with notifications and advertisements to declare that there was no ban on collecting toddy (fermented palm tree sap) and selling it, except at a few public places where its sale stands banned since 1991.
The members of the community accused the ruling party politicians, including chief minister Nitish Kumar, of creating confusion by indicating that toddy had been banned in the state. Nearly 300 toddy tappers gathered at the Gandhi Maidan and consumed toddy in front of the policemen. "It is a matter of our livelihood and we would be rendered jobless if the state government does not notify the order properly as police and excise officials are not allowing us to sell toddy at any place even after the CM's assurance that toddy is not banned completely," said Asha Devi, who had come to take part in the protest.
Gandhi Maidan SHO Nikhil Kumar said, "The protesters were not ready to listen anything and we were forced to use mild force to disperse the crowd. We even took 102 toddy-tappers under preventive detention. Later, they were released on bail from the police station."