Liquor prohibition in Nagaland not religious in nature, says Kenye; NLA set to discuss Naga issue

KOHIMA — The Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) will hold discussions on the Naga political issue and other matters of urgent public importance during the ongoing fifth session.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Power and Parliamentary Affairs Minister KG Kenye, also one of the state government’s spokespersons, announced that the Naga political issue will be taken up as a matter of urgent public importance, providing an opportunity for legislators to share their views and perspectives.

The Assembly will also discuss about repealing the communitisation of power and electricity, as a matter of urgent public importance.

Noting how the discussion on the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act on Tuesday has sparked controversy, he said “there have been overreactions from different sections of our society, which was very unexpected”.

Kenye, who was reportedly present during the original vote on the NLTP Act in 1989, along with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang, maintained that their commitment to values has not changed. He expressed regret that the government’s efforts to initiate a dialogue about the policy’s effectiveness have been misconstrued.

He maintained that the Assembly discussion was not intended to reach a final decision, but rather to gauge public opinion on the effectiveness of the long-standing prohibition policy.

He went on to clarify that the purpose of the discussion is to understand whether continuing the current approach, in effect for over three decades, remains the most efficient strategy or if a regulated system would yield better results. He asserted that initiating this discussion does not signify a change in stance or a desire to lift prohibition outright.

Stating that the discourse would carry on and include consultations with a cross-section of people, he said any decision should be in the interest of the people, and assured that the government is open to suggestions from all sections of society.

Kenye went on to say that the issue is social, and not religious, in nature as it deals with human habits.

Also read: NLTP Act: Legislators spar over reassessment, strategies