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Atsung Imchen: The year is 2016 and surprisingly we are still limping towards the future where the road has been paved with nothing but our will and guts.
By now, you must have become so used to all the complaints and shouting around you, so used to it that you’ve become blinded as though it’s a blessing from above. And even though you see this and read it word by word you will ignore it like you’re not part of it that you’re on a Mission set by God himself.
I am stressing once again on the very same topic which you take so much pride on, so much pride that your eyes do not see what is the reality, so blinded that the wrongs around you is turned into an ever growing righteous path. Yes, I am talking about your PROHIBITION ACT where both of you are equally responsible.
Let me cite you an example of how you’re the reason for so many wrongs around us, let me show you how your hands, those same hands that hold the Bible, those hands that feed your children is covered in blood of those many souls that have been lost because of your pride. In a well Known restaurant in Kohima, let me not mention the name but I am sure they will know in case they happen to read this, it’s a restaurant where I am sure many of your members will have visited. Once you enter the restaurant they give you the menu of the food and secondly the menu for Drinks, drinks that are prohibited. Now let me take the closest relation to the Bible and state regarding wine, a wine called “ZINZI” with the maximum retail price of Rs.300 is sold at the rate of Rs.1200 and just some 2-3 kms away in a liquor shop it costs Rs.700. A simple affordable wine cost a fortune just because of your pride.
Now, since you’ve adamantly implemented the prohibition act there is absolutely no checking for adulterated liquors available abundantly in front of your house and colony wards, the public cannot raise their voice because your pride of calling Nagaland a Dry State has become so sickening that even if the heavens descend you will not let go of that pride. Many lives have been lost due to consumption of adulterated liquors; there are end numbers of stories end number of families without their fathers and mothers who felt victim to adulterated liquors, are you that blind? Answer this if your conscious allows it:-
1. Are you saying there are no liquors shops in Nagaland?
2. Are you saying Nagaland Prohibition Act is a righteous path?
3. Are you saying you’ve implemented this act with outmost strictness that not a single drop of liquor sips into our state?
4. Are you saying that once this act is removed we will all be drunkards?
5. Are you saying in every nook and corner of Nagaland, Nagaland for Christ there is no smell of liquor no sign of liquor?
If your answer contradicts to your beliefs of this prohibition act, how can you stand on the podium every Sunday in the Church preaching the word of God, preaching the way of a just life when you’re killing the very living soul and damming them? Are you that blind? Does your conscious not speak that it’s wrong for you to have your hand on something that is harming more than it’s doing good? You can speak in tongues yet you cannot understand the simple plight of the people. How can you mothers, the model of love and patience preach at home about your family welfare, about the wellbeing of your family when you’re destroying somebody else’s family? When the father or the mother of another family is dying due to those adulterated alcohols available abundantly.
All of these boils down to this: either implement the prohibition act with strict measures or stay away from this topic, stay away from this act. The next time you stand up there to preach the word of God, know that your hands are dirty, the next time you speak about family welfare as a mother know that you are destroying somebody else family. We have members from both this organization in this group and you're part of this. Until this is fixed, till the time you’re able to see the reality you will hear complaints and complaints till your dying breath. Menji Jamir: It's a relevant issue for us. We have been dragging our feet on it for long. The Dry State promulgation has failed miserably. But blaming NBCC Nagaland or NMA is misplaced because they fought for liquor prohibition and once the State Assembly enacted it, it is the duty of the government to implement it, both in spirit and letter of the law. But the government cheated and went back after signing the Act.
Bringing Mizoram as an example to lift it may be premature because there are conflicting reviews of the lifting of liquor prohibition in Mizoram are coming out.
Appealing to individual freedom of choice as a rationale to lift liquor prohibition is too one sided because when we are individuals we are meant both sociologically and theologically to be in a community with mutual responsibility.
No doubt there is an urgent need to have an informed discussion/debate on this issue, but simply counting financial loss for family or government is an inadequate reason. If someone drinks in spite of this Act it is easy to see but if someone abstained/abstains from drinking because of it is not easy to see.
The bottom line is better awareness about demerits/ill effects of alcohol on a person and society. Don't sell it just to push up financial status of family or government because only few families will end up becoming millionaire. On the other hand, simply passing a law will not solve it. In other states, alcohol is free, available 24x7 over the counter, cheap but users know the limit. Whoever doesn't know the limit face its consequences. Whoever wishes to drink let them drink as much as they like but the moment they disturb me, a non drinker, I will also have my way. Lentina Temjen Constance: Something that has been on my mind forever now. Thank you Atsung for bringing it up. Why don't they (be it the NMA/NBCC/state & law) see that people who want alcohol will still be able to purchase it or make it, albeit at a higher cost? Also why don't they realise that alcohol made without government regulations and inspections pose a possibly serious health and safety risk to consumers. The consequences of drinking illegal alcohol sold here could not be more serious.
They fail to realise that they're only creating another crime called "bootlegging" by trying to do away with alcohol. High time they realise something that you are forbidden from having is the most enjoyable while it is forbidden. Basically, we want what we can't or shouldn't have. Nudge someone to drink less, and he/she pours herself another drink.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Naga Blog.
