State cabinet meeting on Thursday hinted at partial lifting of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1989 and the matter is likely to be discussed during the Nagaland Monsoon Assembly session. Nagaland is a Christianity dominated state.
Spokesperson of the Nagaland Government and Minister for Power & Parliamentary Affairs, K.G. Kenye said, “The government is likely to revisit the issue. And depending on the majority of the members the government might bring up this case in the state assembly for some amendments.”
He added, “Unchecked, unregulated inflow of liquor and there are no departments to check the inflow of quality of liquor. This has become extremely dangerous for our society. So maybe our church leaders have done their best, they are doing their best because they understand the menace it creates in the society. They have not been able to educate people on not indulging in such activities.”
Kenye said that the government has also done its best to check the spurious liquor. “Our state is a dry state and well-meaning conscious citizens are concerned about the toll it is taking on the health and morale of the society.
He also pointed to the revenue losses owing to Nagaland being a dry state.Christianity dominated Mizoram again and became a dry state in 2019. The Mizo National Front (MNF)passed Mizoram Liquor Prohibition Bill 2019, prohibiting manufacture, sale and consumption of liquor.The Mizo National Front (MNF) promised prior to the assembly election last year that it will bring liquor prohibition.
MNF had promised to bring back the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act (MLTP), 1995 which was replaced in 2014 by congress despite opposition from Church bodies and civil society groups.
Congress which was ruling the state for last 10 years admitted lifting the prohibition hurt the sentiments of the Church and this led to debacle of the congress party in the recent assembly polls.
