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DIMAPUR — The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland has maintained that the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act should either be revoked in its present format “as it is a complete mockery”, or be re-amended for thorough implementation.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, the group was of the view that it is entirely up to the elected government of the day to take a call as Prohibition file is now with the Cabinet.
“It is the prerogative of pressure groups to voice their opinions and disagreement. However, the government should act based on what it deems best for the state. If the government decides to continue with the Prohibition Act, then it must clearly state the reason and rationale for arriving at such decision.
“The NLTP Act in its present form is simply not implementable and is the root cause of its utter failure”, the statement read.
According to ACAUT, the NLTP Act in its 35 years of existence has encouraged bootlegging and corruption, permeating from the top to the bottom, including the law enforcement agencies.
“These criminals having the liquor licences and backing by various multiple parallel governments thereby create mafia culture within our society, which has far reaching consequences in the degradation of the moral fabric of our society. Just a little investigation by any citizens in Dimapur will find unregulated booze shops in the garb of water bottle shops in every nook and corner of almost every colony and villages operated by goons and mafias.
“For the implementation of NLTP all over Nagaland, there are hardly 336 posts with 40 vacancies and it is impossible for the Act to be successful. The divergent views of the various denominations on Prohibition in the state should be addressed among the church leaders. The church needs to introspect the proactive role it has played over the years with their respective congregation who are also citizens the rest of the week days,” the statement read.
It called for more “healthy public dialogues” and for charting a “convergent path of action” on Prohibition in Nagaland.
“Our younger generation should no longer be raised in an environment of moral dilemma where hypocrisy has been promoted as a virtue by looking the other way which NLTP has normalised in our Christian-majority society,” it stated.