DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 31 (MExN): The Naga Tribal Union Chümoukedima Town (NTUCT) has urged the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) to revisit the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1989 while observing that random and unabated flow of liquor by illegal bootleggers has not stopped due to ineffective implementation of the Act.
In a representation addressed to the NBCC general secretary, the Union alleged that the factors leading to its ineffective implementation is shortage of excise personnel, luring concerned officers with cash, syndicate business in collaboration with national workers and mute silence on the part of the NBCC for too long.
It recalled that the Nagaland Government yielded to the persistent demand of the Naga people headed by NBCC for total prohibition of sale of liquor during the 80s and consequently passed the NLTP Act on June 1989.
In those days, there was active participation of church members everywhere in the state by picketing, destroying the stock piles of liquor and most importantly holding counseling, visiting families of bootleggers for counseling and praying for them which was very effective, the Union stated.
However, at present day, church leaders, members instead of coming out in the fore front unlike during the 80s are reluctant and refrain themselves on the pretext that they are not suppose to take part. It questioned the NBCC if it thought “passing the Act was an end in itself.”
The Union has therefore urged the NBCC to revisit the Act while pointing out that it has only become a “blessing in disguise for gullible officers and personnel of the implementing agency, simply making bootleggers rich overnight by ruining many lives and families.”
It stated that the end result of the Act is the government loses it revenue and illegal liquor flows uninterrupted. The Union also stated that it was willing to share its experiences in any platform if invited to.
