Dimapur, December 17 (MExN): The Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industries (DCCI) has issued a detailed statement addressing recent public debates and media reports concerning Dimapur’s designation and the ongoing controversy over Nagaland’s liquor prohibition law, asserting that policy must be grounded in practical reality and constitutional governance rather than sentiment or intimidation.
The business body’s response comes amid renewed debate surrounding liquor prohibition and following reports labelling Dimapur an “Area for Oriented Minister Fellowship” and fresh calls to uphold the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989. The DCCI in its press release clarified its stance as an institution that “stands firmly for lawful governance, economic stability and social responsibility.”
As a representative body of the business and trading community of Dimapur, the DCCI believes that any policy, especially one with long-standing implications such as the NLTP Act, must be reviewed through practical experience, ground realities and public welfare considerations, it asserted.
The DCCI observed that after more than three decades of enforcement, it is evident that prohibition has not achieved its intended objectives. Instead, it has encouraged illegal trade, strengthened underground syndicates, caused loss of legitimate revenue, and burdened enforcement agencies, the DCCI stated.
“The lived reality on the ground is undeniable: illegal liquor trade is rampant, liquor syndicates have grown powerful, enforcement agencies are overburdened, and the objectives claimed by prohibition proponents have not been achieved,” the DCCI noted.
It argued that continuing to “romanticize failure” is neither responsible nor honest. The DCCI highlighted the adverse impact on honest traders and law-abiding citizens who, it said, have suffered under the current system.
While acknowledging ‘religious sentiments and moral viewpoints’, the DCCI argued that policy decisions must be realistic, inclusive and evidence-based. It described Dimapur as a diverse commercial hub whose governance requires a balance between moral values with economic sustainability, public order and transparency.
The chamber also reminded the public, that Dimapur is governed by constitutional processes, elected governments, and statutory bodies and “not by personal opinions or self-appointed authorities.” It said, “No individual has the right to dictate policy outcomes through intimidation, emotional pressure, or selective religious interpretation.”
It further cautioned against using faith to stifle debate or impose morality “without accountability to real-world consequences. The economic losses, rise of criminal networks, and erosion of public trust caused under prohibition are facts—not assumptions.”
Reiterating that its position advocates for “reform, regulation, and responsible governance” rather than lawlessness, the DCCI expressed its commitment to working with the “government and all stakeholders to ensure peace, economic growth and social harmony.”
