Dr Nsungbemo Ezung
Wokha Town
It’s most unfortunate that some sections of the Nagas continue to let them haunt by the liquor prohibition law that has been in place in the state of Nagaland for more than three decades on the assumed ground that the prohibition of liquor in the state is detrimental to the prospect of generating revenues in the state through the liquor business. As they evoke “revenue” as the reason for demanding the revocation of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act in the state, have we ever given a conscious thought about the ways and means of generating revenue through the liquor business? Are we Nagas so naive and powerless to give in to the assumed prospect of making money by selling liquor and deliberately overlook the certainty of the devastating consequences that will be inflicted on the Naga society in the event we legalize the liquor business?
Revenue in the market is determined by the relationship between the product in question and the consumers. The more the demand of the consumer is met by any product that is competing in the market, the bigger the revenue from the product. So if the Nagas see the prospect of generating more revenue through the liquor business if the NLTP Act is revoked or relaxed, then one certainty is that the very revenue will be coming dearly at the expense of the consumers because the more revenue through the liquor business will mean the more liquor consumers in the state. If the Government of Nagaland is compelled to do away with the NLTP Act by surrendering to the demands of some pressure groups in Dimapur on the grounds of “revenue generation”, it would be akin to promoting and encouraging more liquor consumption in the state. It will be foolish on the part of the conscience of the Naga society to think about revoking the liquor prohibition law in the state for the sole purpose of generating revenue through the liquor business. Instead, Nagas should boldly preach the evil consequences of liquor consumption in the state and focus on creating social awareness and sensitise the Naga public on how to stay away from liquor and other abusive substances, and make Nagaland a liquor-free state.
When it comes to the debate on the law relating to the liquor business, the focal point is making money through the sale of liquor, legally or illegally, or with or without a licence. Would there be any guarantee that if the NLTP Act is revoked, liquor business is legalised and the government starts the process to issue a licence to start liquor business legally in the state, there would be fair competition for acquiring a licence for starting liquor business and further will finally end the black liquor business in the market? Would there also be any guarantee that there would not be any misuse or abuse of the licence for the liquor business? In any case of business in the market, there is always a contest/conflict between licence marketing and black marketing. If the NLTP Act is revoked, the monopoly of the black liquor business will be over in the state, and in the liquor market, there would be a high possibility of the emergence of unhealthy competition between those who possess a licence to run the liquor business and those who don’t possess the same. As not everyone who wishes to acquire a licence will have the privilege to acquire the same, coupled with the restriction in issuing licences and imposing certain restrictions/limitations in the supply of liquor in the state, there would be an increase in misuse of licences and bootlegging to meet the demand of the consumers. In such a scenario of an unhealthy competition among different stakeholders in the liquor market, the so-called “quality” of the liquor can be compromised, and who will suffer the most – the Naga public?
Liquor/alcohol is addictive in nature. And when the Naga society fails to combat the problems of liquor addictions in the state when the liquor law is already in place, things will certainly turn worse in the absence of any liquor-related law that restricts the random inflow of liquor in the state. It is concerning to imagine how Nagas will respond to the idea of an “availability of quality liquor at a cheaper rate” if the NLPT Act is revoked. Can we expect that the Nagas as a whole will all of a sudden become disciplined while consuming liquor if the liquor business becomes legal and makes liquor freely and openly available in the market? Will the level of liquor consumption by consumers increase or decrease when the price of liquor becomes cheaper?
Nagas also cannot remain unreceptive to the one major alarming trend confronting our society in our time – the Naga youths, both educated and uneducated, are increasingly becoming vulnerable. The problem of unemployment among the Naga youths is real; the state government cannot provide jobs to every Naga youth, the scope of employment in the private sectors in the state is limited, and the option of working outside Nagaland seems to be no longer encouraging due to so many recent negative traits associated with work/job outside the state of Nagaland. Unemployment and absence of productive life often lead to frustration, stress and even depression among the youths. What kind of role, positive or negative, do we expect the “liquor at the cheaper rate, freely and openly available in the market” to play in the lives of so many Naga youths who are confronting so many untold life’s challenges and problems? Remember – an increase in liquor consumption is also related to the problem of unemployment. The state government, civil society organizations and churches in Nagaland need to be worried about this crisis and put their heads together to find a solution to the crisis rather than wasting our time debating on the question of putting an end to liquor prohibition in the state.
Most importantly, as Christians, Nagas under no circumstances can effort to say ‘Yes’ to legalizing and normalizing the liquor business and liquor consumption in the state when we already have the full knowledge of its consequences. It will be like normalizing sin in our land instead of preaching unapologetically against it and challenging people to repent from their sin. The NLTP Act is the last line of defence in preventing liquor consumption from becoming not just a problem of addiction but a disease in the state. The question of revoking NLTP should not arise at all. Instead, the implementing agency of the Act, the state government, should muster moral and political will and courage to ensure that the Act is enforce in the state in the most stringent manner for the sake of a better future of the Nagas.
