One of the most common news items that you will come across in the local dailies in Nagaland is the seizure of contraband liquor whether by the excise, police, paramilitary, national groups or even local student or community groups. The media is also generous enough to splash such news report along with photographs of the defaulters and seizures. This gives the impression that the Liquor Prohibition Act is being enforced with great success. And if this is really so, we need to compliment those who are enforcing the Prohibition Act. However we thought that we should point out to something very peculiar about such exercise, which many of us would have noticed. It is usually the case that during such seizures, it is the ‘small fish’, mostly non-locals who are caught with such consignments. More often than not they will be the driver or handyman of the vehicle ferrying such illegal goods, whose name and faces are published in the newspapers. Surely even such people if they are abetting some criminal activity they should be caught and punished. However common sense will tell that there are unidentified people who run such businesses and they are never arrested or punished. The driver and handyman are merely employed to do such dirty jobs for a price while those who actually indulge and run such liquor syndicate have no such fear of being arrested or punished.
Now just take the latest instance where a truckload of liquor was intercepted in Dimapur on Thursday, October 4. The catch was made following a tip-off. The consignment contained 900 cases of beer said to be worth over Rs. 10 lakh in Dimapur. It was headed for Kohima from Khatkhati, said the Commissioner of Excise who could not give an explanation how the truck crossed New Field Check Post without detection. Now obviously a truckload of beer must belong to someone. So why are such people who actually finance and run the show never caught or leave alone punished? It will be of interest to note that in another Christian State of Mizoram and as per their latest statistics, the total number of inmates in different jails of the state during 2010-11 was 6,436, out of which 3019 were convicted for violation of the prohibition of liquor in Mizoram- MLTP Act. Now it is doubtful if we actually convict and put in jail those who violate the Prohibition Act in Nagaland.
Are we enforcing liquor prohibition as a showpiece to amuse ourselves into believing that we are doing a good and honest job? Are we taking on the liquor establishment with full force? Or are we doing our job 10% of the time and the rest 90% we compromise? The present Commissioner of Excise must be congratulated for his effort and sincerity while executing his responsibility in enforcing Liquor Prohibition in the State. However one person or officer alone will not be able to deliver everything. The neglect and corruption in the system needs to be overhauled. And this will require not just a government action but societal response. Also with the Excise Commissioner divulging information that bootleggers are stocking up liquor for use during the coming Assembly Elections, perhaps the Church with its Clean Election Campaign should also step in and give moral, spiritual and even physical support to the concern Department to clamp down on such activities detrimental to the health and well being of our Naga society.
