Some of those who voted LIFT PROHIBITION had this to say:
• Its such a shame to say its a dry state and you see drunken brawls every where, liquor sold every nook and corner. Alcohol related health complications seems to be increasing. Why can we not lift the liquor prohibition and emphasis on educating the harms of alcohol .. making use of alcohol a personal choice, make rehabilitation facilities and let those who drink , drink quality stuff and not spurious liquors which damages their system faster.
• Prohibition should be lifted as it has done more harm than good.
• Alcohol prohibition is a total failure, other states laugh at us because of this tall claim. We must stop producing more sinners. I suggest lifting of ban and allow limited wine store in town that is licensed and regulated axw government
• Whats the meaning of Prohibition when all the brands of alcohol are found in every shops, hotels and restaurants with higher price. Please lift it.
• Drinking is a personal choice and its an individual right.
• For enforcing law in Nagaland is not possible because law makers are first law breakers. Any amount and any brand of drinks is available any time anywhere through out the state. Church can not be on the street to enforce it, where as law enforcers do encourage it by way of taking bribes leaving state to loose revenue. Therefore prohibition should be lifted as it is completely failed giving advantage to bootleggers with spurious drinks.
• Lift prohibition and place stringent law for misuse.
• We cannot stop the flow of liquors into our state. It is better to lift prohibition which will be beneficial both for the govt by means of revenue and drinkers will get undiluted and quality liquors. Drinkers will by any means get what they want even if the rate is doubled. We cannot completely root out the evils of drinking but at least by lifting prohibition and liquor made available through licensed dealer, we could to certain extent monitor the flow of liquor in the market.
• Lift prohibition will get some revenue as no mechanism or will power to enforce prohibitions by the govt.
• When the people who are supposed to enforce the ban have failed, whats the use.
• We all know that liquor are available in plenty and government are losing crores of rupees in taxation so its time to lift the prohibition.
• Drinking can never be banned forcefully. The govt needs to listen to the people, not the church.
• Lift prohibition and because it is to regulate sale vs those against sale but doing nothing against habit of drinking.
• Lift Prohibition, the Rev/Pastors/Leaders, etc should concentrate on the health of the church and not on politics. They should be ashamed, for some of them are involved in it. They are happy to receive money from the bootleggers as thanks giving but hesitate to tell ‘it is wrong’ to them. They are happy as long as they get money, such is their hypocrisy; with due apology to the few (1%). The NMA members should also concentrate on their family, ‘if they have one’ and that too ‘a Naga,’ and not interfere. If they cant control their husbands or sons/daughters, they are a failure as wives and mothers.
• It’s a shame, for the commercial vehicles of those advocating its prohibition are used to lift the IMFL, as they easily fool the police.
• I see no reason why prohibition should continue. Prohibition alone will not have the desired impact, and in fact by banning the sale of alcohol, it will only increase the desire to try alcohol. What is really required is education from a very early age. The education system in Nagaland really lacks in teaching young students to take responsibilities. If educational institutions impart values such as taking responsibilities from an early age, the question of prohibition will not even arise. So for those advocating for prohibition, people know that by imposing prohibition, it does not mean that those who drink will stop drinking, because they will always find a way to get booze. Instead, it is better to impart qualities of taking responsibilities and self-discipline, and this will have the desired affect to protect our society from the ills of addiction.
• Even if there is prohibition people procured liquor from the black market, sub standard quality. So by lifting prohibition, quality control will be there and huge taxes will come to the government.
• We all know that the prohibition is not a successful one and it cost a huge loss to the government in revenue.
• During 80s most dont use, only after prohibition all most 90 % use now.
• Lift Prohibition, no more deliberations needed, havent we all seen enough of this stupidity? Time to wake up!
• We all know that liquor is available in plenty without a doubt and the government is losing revenue in it which can be used for the development of our state so its time to lift the prohibition.
• NBCC should grow up at some point. Please say no to NBCC.
• Prohibition simpliciter is not congenial in the context of Nagaland. Lift prohibition but try to change the mind set of the people by wide publicity about moderate use, its ill effects etc.
• Let the people choose what they want.
• Yes! I just wonder if the government is aware or trying to ignore the consequences that are right there screaming at them! Doing more harm than good! I’d say take it easy wash your hands off and lift this bandh.
• The revenues should be useful to implement welfare n reconstructing the state economy like the other states like Assam n Meghalaya.
• Lift prohibition...and enforce strict rule that any drunker... breaking law or creating nuisance shall be arrested and locked up in jail.
• Alcoholism/Money isn’t the root cause of all evil but its hypocrisy. The scripture never teaches us that he/she will not attain salvation unless he/she is from a place where alcohol is strictly prohibited. Aint it? If prohibition assures salvation it must be prohibited immediately. But its not. So practically it’ll be good to lift prohibition act so that the individual/s, the government and the church prosper economically.. because, why waste? Resource do not come from heaven directly.
Some of those who voted ENFORCE PROHIBITION had this to say:
• Nagaland needs to reinforce prohibition because improving economic condition of the family and maintain peaceful family life is more important than earning revenue of the government.
• I grew up in a family where both my father and brother screamed and shouted and abuse us verbally, physically and emotionally and so last thing I want to see in Nagaland is alcohol flowing in Nagaland or anything new whether its big money or huge profit. So lets call work including the Government to make the Prohibition Act Work. YES WE CAN.
• Liquor your name is merciless killer. Wine sip is worse than snake-bit. Liquor is the waterloo of Giants!
• Enforce total prohibition by being an example and not otherwise (road shows) and thereafter blaming commoners for its failure. Oh! What a mockery!
• COZ Liquor dehumanize a person and enslave a person.
• Seriously what the DAN govt. is thinking? We live in a new global economy i.e., knowledge economy which is based on Intellectual property rights. So they want our state economy to flourish by sedating and lulling our young bright mind with liquor? If you want to generate money, stop corruption, stop building towers and palaces for yourself rather emphasis on research institute, explore our God given biodiversity. It has so much to offer us. This will give employment to our youth, mould their talent& creativity and utilize our resources. What a shame DAN govt. you have missed such a good source of earning revenue! Instead you want to subdue our young talents and brains!
• Enforce Prohibition. Instead of revoking the Act the government should put the policy makers and law enforcement agency who violates the rules of the Act. After all these same Officials are the ones who cream the people of their benefits through some proxy side-kicks, bribes to fill their pockets and bellies no only through liquor but every form of development fund pumped into the state by the Centre. To be honest the State government themselves are violating and enjoying the perks so civil society and Church and the people in general should be more diligent and alert.
• Because allowing liquor sale will be like rearing venomouos snake who at any given time bite the owner.
• First thing first. Let the excise, the police and the judicial do their duty well.
• Alcohol gives psychological, mental and physical torture for sure to people.
• Apparently words are around that the Legislative Members and top bureaucrats are already scrambling for liquor license because its huge revenue for their personal bank!! So yes ENFORCE the Prohibition. Like to see them lose out. At least in liquor black market, more than ten thousand family ‘get personal revenue’! So revenue is just an excuse, a big lie and lets not be misled by the Government.
• It is an invitation for poverty and unemployment. Because it will make the rich richer and the poor only poorer and wretched. It will give employment to the bar owner but oh our youths they will go down to drains and gutters drunk!!!
• Progress in democracy is simulated and pointed out by the vibrancy of civil society. In Nagaland they are countless of NGOs (which is very important) but hardly any independent civil society. In fairness to the NBCC and various Church organizations it remains till date one of the most important and independent civil society albeit a faith based organization. So in the name of modernization we can’t simply joined the bandwagon that claims that in 21st century the role of church is diminishing and irrelevant (studies and events worldwide have shown this is incorrect claims) without really understanding Naga social and cultural context. If the Church or NBCC goes tomorrow, the fabric that holds or unify the Naga diverse/ multi- tribes society will go into chaos. Because we are still evolving as a society and there is nothing in place. Even the Government of the federal state of Nagaland is proxy, technically speaking. In this sense Church become more than a religious institution because the inception give a definitive structure. While obviously the Church cannot force people not to drink, except through personal guidance and counseling etc, the Church has every right to explore every means even if it means Enforce Prohibition to mitigate the flow of liquor in Nagaland. It is also the responsibility of the Government to support the Church and any NGO or civil society that take such initiatives not only in liquor but poverty alleviation, corruption and bureaucratic restructuring by making it accountable and transparent. Instead of opposing the Church or civil society that works independently for the people, the Nagaland state Government should extend its machineries at their disposal to such organizations to serve the people for which they are formed and elected at the first place.
• Because 1. Liquor ruins family 2. Damages the vital organ- which is the LIVER and 3. leads family to poverty.
• Nagaland is not a rich state. It lives on the ‘charity’ of the Indian Government. In fact we are beggars. But the fact that our tiny state can earn crores of rupees of money as revenue means we are spending over hundreds of crores on alcohol alone. The amount of money is staggering and mind blowing. A half amount of the money spend on liquor consumption can reduce the poverty level in Nagaland drastically. The point in case is what is what is wrong with our society and towards which direction are we heading and what kind of generation are we bringing up? What we need to debate is what has gone wrong with us that we justify drink as a necessity of modernization, of distorted ‘progress’ and that we cannot do without liquor? It not longer a so call religious or even a moral question alone. It is to question the basis of our thinking and growth. I think the abuse of alcohol, drugs, power, militancy, the growing attitude of dependency, hatred, are some of the indicator index of any nation and unfortunately in Nagaland the indicators are not very bright. Hope our young Naga minds will strongly take part and debate on these issues
• To ensure peace, health and maintain law and order in our land
• Why has the Prohibition Act failed? Because the implementing agencies are not doing their duties which they are legally bond to perform. I say before we revoke the prohibition we put pressure on the Government to instruct the implementing agencies to do their duty.
• Alcoholism have left many women widowed, children orphaned and also leads families to poverty treating liver, injury damage, resource and energy which otherwise could be streamed towards much greater needs and welfare of the family.
• Cos alcohol is the downfall of a great man and a nation. It robs and steal away human character as well.
• Broadcast and distribution of pornography is prohibited by Governments, legal and various civil society in many countries but it still prevail underground, black-market, racket etc. Does action generates money? Yes. It is worth billion of dollars worth industry and very profitable. And it sustain people, group and even nation like in the case of Thailand. But just because it profit and generate huge money does not mean it should and become legal and flaunt in front of our children and public as daily, ‘normal’ consumption and activities. The reasons cited by the Nagaland Government goes something like this- alcohol makes a lot of revenue for state so lets make this legal. Is it legal or illegal to drink alcohol is a choice and a personal decision and as some argues, people who drink alcohol whether Prohibition or no Prohibition, but to flaunt liquor shops at a rate of ‘at your-face’ in a state like Nagaland where every form of anti-social is boiling, manipulated and abuse is an unwise step and should not lifted without much further consideration. On the other hand the consequences of alcohol both socially and medically hundred times outscores the argument of revenue that would be generated by liquor, so the validity of revenue is a very short-sighted argument. Thank you.
• To prevent and avoid all the problems and menaces due to liquor consumption from taking place in our society
• After all whats wrong with not legalizing rampant drinking? Can the Government kindly look and commit more into issues like corruption, extortion, unemployment and substance addiction please. Make them dubious, pathetic approach illegal and then lets consider about the Prohibition Act.
• I do not want to see liquor shop open in every corner including in my village. Developments have not reached my village but liquor shop will definitely, to almost every village. Some of the corrupt politicians will work hard to make sure license liquor shop is open in the most remote village, and call it financial incentives for the village!! Anything to take the money off the farmers. Poverty will dip further. So much for food security by 2020 and sustainable growth.
• God help meeting a Naga militant with Ak 47 in a liquor shop and lest we the poor helpless people 'provoke' them by walking over an ant. Lets Lift Prohibition when the Naga self-style militant issue is resolve. Government if you are for the people please listen to us. Lift Naga Militancy first, then lift Prohibition. DEAL.
• Let the Government of please elucidate the people of Nagaland how purposefully they will use the revenue for the people they so call 'love to serve'.
• Lets have a huge open debate before such huge decision is moved. The 60 Legislative Members alone should not decide this and cannot since they do not have the moral authority.
• Revenue loss itself is not a good reason enough. Simple.
• There is no doubt the Church is emotional but the Nagaland Government is notoriously reckless in their self-interest. Therefore if my life survival was to depend on either picking the Church in Nagaland or the Government of Nagaland, i think without a winker of a second I will pick the Church. So Enforce the Prohibition.
• True, the Act is ineffective and there is huge revenue loss, so the Government makes the people into believing wrongly. But the truth is Lifting Prohibition will be the 'White Elephant' for the state. Hence enforce the Prohibition before more legislation are enacted.
• No. If the situation is bad now, listen folks it will become ten time worst. If all tom, dick harry and Rosie can open a license liquor shop.
• Why for revenue? Give a better reason. Come on government you should surely have a more intelligent rationale than 'revenue' of some few crores.
• Reform law enforcing agencies. Train the uniform personals first. It will take some time (may be some decades) to institute a state of the art academy to combat liquor, corruption and anti socials in the state. Define prohibition let them understand and let them perform. We can do it not to allow even a single bottle into Nagaland. When not a single non local is detected and charged, why can't loads and loads of bottles? We are talking about what Government should DO. But government should understand that if it slips, the law shall fall into the hands of millions of frustrated educated youths. That can over power the so called stakeholders, national workers... yes this should not be treated as what it is now.
• To lift prohibition is to indirectly encourage alcoholism and its business.
• Its high time to get serious about enforcing prohibition. This will mean even ensuring that the army canteens and police stations and the likes of it should strictly ban the sale of alcohol. It is very difficult to enforce prohibition when the security forces have the luxury of availing alcohol in the safe confines of their camps. To seriously enforce prohibition the government should take strong measures to see that alcohol is also prohibited in the camps of various security forces.
• Government's apathy is the biggest hindrance to Liquor prohibition.
• NO one has ever died for not drinking alcohol. But more people have died for drinking.
• NO, NO, NO, because let the Nagaland Government have their way this time. And like the un-grateful, shameless, spineless camel in the desert, the camel will want every inch and ounce of the tent and kicked the owner (read the Naga People) into the cold desert night. Next thing they will want to open, legalize and export even pornography, shocking but its true. Naga people are you surprise. Why? After all pornography is huge revenue turnover. Next thing they will then want to make prostitution as a huge revenue business and give training. Its not far off after all am sure the ministers who pay such frequent visits to South East Asia are well aware, particularly Thailand. Its known that prostitution is one of the biggest Revenue for Thailand. Well it not really only between NBCC versus Government. It Is Greed Versus Some Respite Towards Humanity. NAGA People say NO TO THIS GREEDY, spineless, shameless, GOVERNMENT.
• Why lift the Prohibition, are the government still not happy with the money and 'revenue' they are extorting from the state Exchequer (if there is still one that is in Nagaland!)
• If there was ever a peoples movement in Nagaland, then the Naga political struggle and the Prohibition Act are truly the only two such movement. But like the Naga political movement, despite its genuineness which is manipulated and abused by various people and power blocks so it the Prohibition Act. I do not know how effective or not the Prohibition Act is but to revoke it is the general same attitude of the Government be it the Central or the state working against and ploy people as pawn. For this reason alone I say NO- ENFORCE PROHIBITION ACT. The Hell with Corrupt Government.
• Enforce cos yes the Prohibition ACT is not 'functioning' but what safeguard and strategy does the government have in place to check when alcoholism and street bawls go out of hand in Nagaland?
• After all will some form of will power, political will who is there to say the Prohibition Act can not follow and worked in our state.
• I am a teacher in one of the so call prestigious school in Dimapur, Nagaland, an believe me they bring everything to the school- starting from tablets bought from the pharmacy counter to dentrite (any glue sniffing stuff) to give them a kick. Am not saying these children are not drinking, of course they do but atleast on the way to school and during break time they cannot buy from open counter because of the Prohibition. The last thing I want to see in my school is children smelling of alcohol. I do not know about the revenue, the moral biblical etc, but this to me is a huge issue in our doorstep and just cannot lift the Prohibition without thinking of all these social implications.
• There are numerous laws against illegal immigration. Here in Mokokchung the student union is on a drive to make the district free of illegal immigrant. Some unfortunate illegal immigrant got the battering of their livelihood and physically!! They are call ‘illegal’ because they are illegally in the Country (India) and in Nagaland state. Hence the drive. But despite the best effort of the Ao student there are still illegal immigrants illegally. The flow of illegal immigrant particularly the Bangladeshis are never ending! And as out in the newspaper the impact is devastating to the Naga culturally, politically, socially and economically. The issue of illegal immigration will always be there not only in Mokokchung, Nagaland and India but globally. In Nagaland also the presence of illegal immigrants are very profitable for some specially the rich Naga Landlord’ at the expense of the Nagas particularly the so call ‘unemployed Naga youth’. But does that mean that Government of India, the Ao students and the Nagas should stop being diligent and give up about the issue of illegal immigrant? Of course no. Likewise just because Prohibition Act is not effectively working does not mean that we have to Lift the Act. We need to first see why it is not working before taking such an action. Is it because some elite Nagas are losing as a result of the ACT? Is lifting the Act at the interest of the people or the politicians and some powerful stake holders? Has the Act failed even with the co-operation of the implementing agencies? Are the majority Naga youth losing out because of the Prohibition Act? Is Prohibition Act the biggest problem for the Nagaland government to worry? Will the Naga future generation lose out because this generation did not lift the Prohibition Act? Nagaland is a land of village. Now, will the struggling Naga villagers miss anything big in their human dignity if the Prohibition Act is not lifted? Will the lifting of the Act alleviate poverty for the over 50 percent people living in poverty in Nagaland? Let the Nagaland Government and the individuals who wants to Lift the Prohibition Act answer these questions honestly. Liquor will always be there, people who wants to drink will always be there and just because liquor is available and some people want to drink does not mean that the Prohibition Act should be revoke. If ‘feeling’ is the reason for every action, ACT and legislation, then yes sometimes I feel I can hike to Burma or enter America without papers and demand Immigration Act are Amended partially or Revoked so they can cater to feeling, which to me is not illegitimate. Let us have a debate about the pro and cons.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• Prohibition is a very complex issue. An open debate involving commoners, religious leaders, police, policy makers, civil society, etc would be appreciated.
• At the moment, the best solution is to have a win-win approach to this issue. The fact is that even though Nagaland is a dry state, in actual it is running with alcohol. This has obviously increased crime rates, encouraged bootlegging and also selling of adulterated alcohol which has had a drastic effect on the lower income families. The government is really in a fix, it just can afford to lift prohibition, and yet at the same time it does not have the resources to enforce prohibition. No where in the world has prohibition worked; other than a few Islamic states where culturally liquor is not acceptable. But for the Nagas which has a cultural history of local brew, the prohibition is more difficult to implement. The best way right now is to find a middle approach to this problem.
• Everything has it positive and negative effects and so alcohol has. Consumer is a problem and not alcohol, instead one will benefit much out of it only when the attitude of Nagas and our way of life 20 years ago were no way the same as we are today or much better off. No society is perfect in this imperfect world as the forces of good and evil are forever at war. The greatest gift of God to mankind isn’t wealth but health. IF we cant even check the free flow of liquor how can we detect the adulterated and spurious ones posing greater danger to public health. Alcohol-related crime and accident rates and domestic violent aren’t only the church concern but every right thinking citizens concern and the law enforcing agency with its ways and means will take care of them too. Govt and church are closely interdependent in many spheres of lives and so its vital to respect and understand each others stand and position for the good of the states and its people.
• For me as a lawyer, I feel that the lifting of prohibition may have dangerous consequences and to enforce prohibition would be almost totalitarian. Therefore the state government must enact new rules to supplement the old act, such as permitted age limit to drink alcohol i.e. generally 21 years of age, measuring level of alcohol for suspected drivers i.e. by using physical drill and technology used by police elsewhere, arresting person disturbing public peace under influence of alcohol and also specific penalties and fines be imposed by the police and the court assigned the job. The same act should also be applied to the drunk police personnel as well.
• The arguments presented by both the pro-prohibition and anti-prohibition supporters are shallow and have nothing to do with prohibition in the first place. Gujarat today is a highly producing state and has developed rapidly and with the vast number of industries the government is able to get enough revenue. Gujarat is also a dry state. Nagaland is rich in natural resources and only if the government were dedicated and serious about developing these resources, it would not need to worry about the loss revenue from prohibition. Nagaland government has enough options to develop and get sufficient revenues from other sectors, but no doubt, alcohol provides easy revenue because infrastructure is not required. The reason of revenue is not an good enough reason. It is a cheap reason. IF at all the prohibition should be lifted, it should not be because of revenue, this makes it sound so cheap. On the other hand Gujarat also has one of the highest number of deaths from spurious liquor and the deaths are from among the backward section of the society because they cannot afford to buy IMFL, because of its increased rate. In Nagaland too, because of prohibition the liquor barons are the strongest supporters of the church. The crooks and saints are united for prohibition because both gain from it. It is prohibition that has encouraged mafia business and smuggling of alcohol has gone up, and along with it the crime rate. Paradoxically, prohibition was introduced to reduce violence, crime and moral decay of the society, but instead, prohibition has only increased violence, crime, mafia, smuggling and introduced other kinds of addiction. So both the sides – pro and anti – of prohibition have presented very damning arguments. It is time an objective inquiry must be set up to look into the pros and cons of prohibition. The church can not also take a higher moral position when its very position has led to more violence and crime. The church must listen to the ground situation. It cannot remain aloof.
