Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act: Crux of the Issue

The Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act seems to be drawing quite a furore for years and more so lately. The mood seems to swing between the Church, the government and the laymen. The church, for obvious reason, will always vouch against lifting the Act, the common men with their own reason have divided opinion and the government with ears on both sides seems to be placed at uneasy ease. However, what is fundamental is not the church ethics, government economical interest or individual scramble for good wine, but rather the crux of the whole issue itself; the inevitabilities that is most likely to befall if prohibition is lifted without taking due precautions.

Firstly, let’s relook why prohibition came about in the first place? What was the nature and condition of our society before prohibition? For sure, for no nonsense reason would the church waste its time and energy campaigning for so long a year until prohibition was adopted in 1989. What is the guarantee that society would not relapse to the bad old times if prohibition is lifted? How well does prohibition go in other states and the states where prohibition does not exist? What is the nature and behavioural pattern of their society? Is it like our society where guns rule the roost and chaos can flare up with little spark? Why are some states like Kerala, Gujarat, Bihar, etc. opted prohibition?

These are pertinent questions for anybody’s perusal. It is a known fact that before prohibition dawns, gangsternism writ large on the street while UGs rule the jungle. Indeed it was an ‘age of lawlessness’ where crooks and cronies reigns in places like the Capital, Dimapur and other district headquarters. Drunkards brag and brawl and street fights were daily occurrence. Than prohibition came and also with the changing nature of UGs coming to the streets, either the street bosses were tamed or disappeared though a new form of violence came to dominate the scene in the form of factional clashes amongst the Naga political groups.

Analysing from my own intercourse and association with people of this generation that I came across thus far, 75% of them casually touch wine when available or during occasions, 15% are teetotallers and 10% are habitual. This 75% won’t care for wine if it is not available but the other 10% will drink by any means.

Revenue or no revenue, good wine or bad wine is not the most important factor of understanding prohibition. What is most important is, will wine do good to the already fragmented social health of our people especially at this juncture when insanity of guns and bullet always tend to rear its ugly heads? What will happen when guns got mixed up with open wine? Gujarat is a state where prohibition exists but economy is booming. Is it difficult for Nagaland economy to boom without wine? Kerala gains INR 8000 crore revenue from liquor sell but this gain on one hand is countermined by severe loss in spending on health and social-related issues because of alcohol which in fact results in no gain at Gross deduction hence the Prohibition.

Like most tribals, Nagas are indulgent and indolent by nature. Wine will surely be a booster to this indulgence where gluttony and lethargy will get the better of the alcoholics and in the process becomes a social bane to the general society. What is the guarantee that Nagas would not become like Toda tribals of Nilgiri hills where menfolk sit, drinks, merry and the womenfolk do all the works with daily wife beating at home? The matriarchal Khasis society is not far from the bane of alcoholism where menfolk drink and tend home resulting into surge of many untimely widows.

To vouch against prohibition for good wine is a poor argument and more of gluttony in nature. Wine will be indeed a favourable past time and a sure merriment for the elite class who have amassed wealth to mind their health and amusement but a sure misery for the struggling common men. It is pointless to argue death by bad wine because the so-called good wine is going to kill too as the label itself comes with a tag. There is no good wine and long life, its only good wine and ruined life because our society is not yet mature for responsible drinking as many presumed otherwise.

The question of corruption, extortion, immorality, etc. because of pilferage wine may exist but lifting prohibition is not going to change that; rather it is only going to exacerbate the situation with more wine, more revelry and more corruption. NLTP is unsuccessful, that doesn’t means it has to be lifted. Steps should be taken to strengthened it and fill the lacunas. It will be far more bearable to see secret sale and bootlegging under the fear of law than see open drunkenness and open debauchery. To break all present cease-fires and start outright war with India soberly will be more bearable than see our society drub in drunkenness and self-destruction. Even with prohibition, we kill each other so much and slowly sanity seems to be descending after decades of madness. Each day, chaos in the guise of guns threatens to get the better of our society. If gun and wine got mixed, then all hell will break loose. Lifting prohibition at this juncture will create a situation beyond control which could spiral into major catastrophe beyond comprehension. To lift prohibition at this juncture, Nagaland would just become ‘wild, wild East’. Nagaland for Christ will become Nagaland for wine.

Behavioural pattern of drinking differs from society to society and therefore before comparing ourselves with others it is imperative to know the nature and character of that society. The American society that most people love to compare differs with us by centuries if not by millennium. Perhaps we may think of lifting prohibition once our society becomes as advanced as them, mentally, socially, economically and politically. In American society, their govt. takes care of the children if both the parents are unable to do so or are alcoholics or are harmful to the children. What mechanism does our govt. have in similar situation? Let it be remembered that there are still many counties and townships in USA where prohibition applies especially Red Indians tribal reserves areas.

Alcohol wreaks havoc in the family and it is the main reason for domestic violence and abuses where women folk and children always remain at the receiving end. In states like erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal where wine is cheap and generously available, it has the highest number of crime against women mostly committed under the influence of alcohol. Then comes to places like Delhi, which has the dubious distinction of being the rape Capital and where chronic racial discrimination against North East people exist; wine is generously available and cheap. Wine is a sure abetment of all these crimes. Road accidents would become chronic due to drunken driving in the absence of improper wine detector of which our govt. has neither the means nor resource to implement it.

Wine is a mocker and the source of all evil scheming and debauchery. All unholy things are vigorously talked whenever drinkers gather around the bottle. There is no such thing as drink a peg, take a good sleep and be happy. The way of the wine and more of Nagas’ way is that until and unless one gets a kick-over, it’s absolutely difficult to walk away. Wine abets corruption by the simple logic that alcoholic officers will always try to pocket govt. money to fund his bottle, so also the contractors and if it’s just common men, he will resort to diabolical means and even indulge in anti-socials activities to finance his bottle.

If governance is hard at present, it is going to get harder; if politics is dirty, it will get dirtier; if election is messy, it will only get messier; if govt. is corrupt, it is only going to become more corrupt; if there is chaos, it is only going to become more chaotic without prohibition. In state like Kerala, prohibition was adopted because alcohol has become a major social evil with lots of marital breakdown, domestic violence, flood of rehabilitation centres by alcoholics and excessive alcohol related ailments. Behind the facet of alcohol is endless woes attached.

The filth of the malt house, the exorbitant price of wine and the fear of law impels many especially youngsters from drinking. With wine freely available made more attractive in style and fashion, bars, etc., temptation will become much stronger. Especially the youngsters in the most tumultuous and formative period of life will be introduced early into drinking culture which will adversely affect our social competency as a people in the long run. When it comes to business, preventing minors from drinking won’t be possible if liquor becomes legal and liberally available. Domestic violence, suicides, homicides, accidents, marital breakdown will become rampant. Lifting of prohibition at this fragile juncture will surely pervert Naga cause, and the general alertness towards issues like illegal immigrants, corruption, illegal taxation, extortion, etc. will be stunted. Naga society is still at transitional stage and has not yet stabilised; wine will pervert this cathartic transition.

Absolute dryness is untenable no matter how strong the law, but without certain control, society will just sink. Frankly speaking, it is not prudent to lift prohibition at this juncture, lest things go back to square one, but one day it might have to be lifted in a controlled, disciplined and well measured environment but at least not when gun totting elements are still at large. Now, the talk of the day should rather be how to strengthen the Act, fill the lacunas, but not whether to lift it.

Citing the example of the village I grew up, tradition was still pronounced and animism still a force to reckon with. Wine especially local brew (zutho) was available at ease. The non-Christian brew and the Christian drinks. It was not quite a sight to behold. Gambling, drinking and brawling each night was a daily affair. Family and clan bickerings because of selling and gambling away lands was common, mostly under alcohol influence. In 1990s with the strong effort of the student’s body, selling of intoxicants was totally banned and the drunkards strictly penalised even to the extent of excommunicating and expulsion from the village. The result was phenomenal; the village started producing gazetted officers, respectable citizens, etc. Death by consumption is as good as unheard of now and old brawling rare. It’s imminent where the village will sink unto supposing prohibition is lifted.

Dr. Zhokusheyi Rhakho

Phek Town