Rev Temsü Jamir
Executive Secretary, ABAM
The continued non-implementation of the NLTP Act is not a flaw of the Act, but a glaring failure of the government entrusted to uphold it. Hence, the Act that was generated out of the moral conviction and collective will of the people has been reduced to a mere document, not because it lacks power, but because those responsible for enforcing it lack sincerity, consistency, and courage.
Nothing exposes this inconsistency more starkly than the recent mismanagement at the Hornbill Festival. While the NLTP Act remains the law of the land, the government has permitted the sale and consumption of liquor for foreign nationals within the festival premises. Even more concerning is the unregulated sale and consumption of local rice beer, readily available not only to tourists, but to anyone who chooses to partake in it. This is neither a minor administrative lapse nor a matter of cultural accommodation. It is a direct and unabashed contradiction of the very law the government is duty-bound to uphold.
The actions in question reveal an attitude that is not merely casual, but deliberately negligent. They reflect a government willing to compromise the values and convictions of the majority, for reasons of convenience, revenue, or external image. Consequently, critical questions arise: Who safeguards the law, and for whom? Who determines the structure and policies of governance? And does such governance supersede ethical justice? When a law is enforced selectively, its integrity is inevitably eroded. Likewise, when a government applies moral principles selectively, its credibility is fundamentally diminished.
If the government is unwilling to honour the Act, it must at least have the courage to state so openly, rather than permitting a silent erosion of public trust through double standards. The people deserve transparency, not pretence. They deserve leadership, not loopholes. They deserve a government that upholds the very laws it expects its citizens to follow.
Can’t we envision the Hornbill Festival without, in any way, promoting a culture of alcohol consumption in Nagaland? Must the celebration of this festival be contingent upon the endorsement or facilitation of drinking? Is alcohol truly the only means through which the Hornbill Festival can be presented or enriched?
The issue before us is not merely about alcohol. It is about accountability, integrity, and respect for the mandate of the people. The NLTP Act does not require revision. What is required is governmental resolve.
