Prashant Kishor launches Jan Suraaj Party in Bihar, promises to remove liquor ban

NEW DELHI: Prashant Kishor, a former political strategist turned activist, officially launched his political party, Jan Suraaj Party, on Wednesday at an event held at Veterinary College Ground in Bihar's Patna.
The launch was attended by several prominent figures, including former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav, diplomat-turned-politician Pavan Varma, and ex-MP Monazir Hassan.
"Jan Suraaj campaign is going on for 2-3 years. People are asking when we will be forming the party. We all must thank God, today, the Election Commission has officially accepted Jan Suraaj as Jan Suraaj Party," Kishor said during the event.
During his speech, Kishor emphasised the need for a world-class education system in Bihar, saying that Rs 5 lakh crore would be required over the next decade to achieve this goal.
He also criticised the state's liquor ban, claiming that it results in an annual loss of Rs 20,000 crore, which could be utilised for improving education, infrastructure, and other essential services.
"If Bihar has to have a world-class education system, Rs 5 lakh crore is needed in the next 10 years. When the liquor ban will be removed, that money won't go into the budget and will not be used for the security of leaders, nor it will be used for roads, water and electricity. That will be used only for building a new education system in Bihar. Every year, Bihar is facing a loss of Rs 20,000 crore due to the liquor ban," he added.
The launch of Jan Suraaj Party comes two years after Kishor's 3,000-km-long 'padayatra' across Bihar, which aimed to mobilise people for a new political alternative to address the state's chronic backwardness.
Later, Kishor also named Manoj Bharti the working president of the Jan Suraaj Party. Bharti, who hails from Madhubani, pursued his education at Netarhat in Jharkhand before enrolling at IIT Kanpur. He later completed his M Tech degree from IIT Delhi. Bharti has had a distinguished career in the foreign service, representing India as an ambassador to several countries.
During his diplomatic tenure, he served as India's ambassador to Ukraine, Belarus, Timor-Leste, and Indonesia.
Prior to the party's launch, Kishor called upon the people to raise the 'Jai Bihar' slogan loudly enough to be heard in Delhi, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, where children from Bihar have been subjected to abuse and violence. He emphasised the need for Biharis to assert their identity and demand respect from the rest of the country.
"You all need to say 'Jai Bihar' so loud that no one calls you and your children 'Bihari' and it feels like abuse. Your voice must reach Delhi. It must reach Bengal, where students from Bihar were beaten. It must reach Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Bombay wherever Bihari children were abused and beaten," Prashant Kishor had said.