Nagaland liquor ban ‘simply not enforceable’ – ACAUT

DIMAPUR — The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland has issued a statement urging the state government to repeal the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act as it is “simply unenforceable”. Citing widespread corruption, the creation of a “mafia culture” and the law’s ultimate inability to curb alcohol consumption, ACAUT claimed that the decades-old ban has done more harm than good.

In the statement, ACAUT asserted that it is entirely up to the elected government to make a final decision and up to the prerogative of pressure groups to express their opinions and disagreements. “However, the government must act based on what it considers best for the state, and not cower under pressure from any group.”

It went on to say that if the government chooses to continue the ban, it should clearly state the reason and rationale for coming to such a decision, and also clearly “dispel suspicion that some in the government are supporting the NLTP act perpetuated, and has even influenced certain individuals from pressure groups.”

ACAUT said the NLTP law “only encourages corruption within law enforcement agencies and creates a mafia culture that creates criminals within the society.” It also noted the prevalence of unregulated liquor dens operating openly across the state, posing a greater threat to public health and safety compared to regulated, controlled establishments.

Furthermore, “the problem of alcoholism and addiction has always been there, with or without prohibition, so a more pragmatic approach would be for the government to ensure that certain percentages of the revenue generated should go towards setting up detox and counseling centers,” the report said.

ACAUT further rejected the argument for continuing the ban on religious and moral grounds, stating that it is impractical and has no biblical basis. It argued that the case for stricter enforcement is ‘wishful and fatalistic optimism’, pointing to the government’s limited resources and the near-impossible task of controlling alcohol consumption without wider public support.

Pointing to a rise in alcohol-related deaths, likely linked to the consumption of unregulated, counterfeit liquor, ACAUT stated that “while there is no guarantee that with the regulation and opening of wine shops, counterfeit alcohol will be abolished, but it is certain more manageable and would drastically reduce the use of counterfeit alcohol.”

The majority of consumers are not alcoholics, so it would be unfair to deprive these people of their quality of life for the few who abuse them, it added.

“The ACAUT Nagaland is of the view that the NLTP Act should be abolished or at least partially lifted in towns and cities bordering Assam,” the press release said.

ACAUT claimed that “the majority of Nagas are in favor of lifting the ban” and asserted that the ban law is “simply unenforceable” and an “utter failure”.

“The ban in the state must be lifted at all costs. It is simply no longer feasible. The empirical evidence from the past three and a half decades is irrefutable,” the report said, calling on the state government to lift the law in the state or at least in border towns.

Also read: Repeal or amend the prohibition law again – ACAUT