INTRODUCTION
The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) would like to respond to the queries of general public in the light of the present debate on the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act 1989(NLTP).The Prohibition initiative was started by the Church way back in 19th century in 1875 and intensified in 1962. The Prohibition Movement was launched in 1974 with the mass involvement spearheaded by the Church and Women and Youth organizations. As a result, Mon District was declared Dry in 1988, Mokokchung District Dry declaration was in January 1989, and Nagaland Dry state declared in June 1989.
FOUNDATION
The Bible prohibits alcohol; Constitution of India enshrines prohibition of alcohol (Article 47). Accordingly during Congress regime NLTP 1989 was enacted under the leadership of Dr.S.C.Jamir the then Chief Minister of Nagaland. In the recent time a NBCC delegation met Shri.Neiphiu Rio the present Chief Minister of Nagaland on September 3, 2003 and he assured the CHURCH that “the Government stands for total prohibition of liquor”. It is now twenty years after the Prohibition law is being enforced.
NBCC RESPONSE
Many are of the opinion:-
1. That the Act is a total failure.
2. That the Government is losing revenue,
3. That there has been an upsurge in the usage of illegal drugs in the state because the sale and consumption of liquor has been prohibited, and which is assumed to have led to the AIDS epidemic in the state.
The NBCC would like to refute the veracity of the above statements and to assert that the Prohibition Act is good for our people, as may be observed from the following arguments.
1. ON THE QUESTION THAT THE ACT IS A TOTAL FAILURE.
a. The Act has been a partial failure not because it is a wrong Act, but because there is utter lack of political will on the part of the Government and lack of sincerity and co-operation on the part of the implementing agencies.
b. We would like to state that if it is determined to, the Government can in a short stipulated time see that most bootlegging in the state is stopped. The excise and police know almost every major bootleggers and outlets. What then has it done to stop this trade? The inefficiency of the Government agencies and their lack of will to perform their duties almost make us come to the conclusion that many in the system benefit from this trade.
c. We would like to point out that many times the lawmakers become lawbreakers and the implementing agencies are made to be involved in making a mockery of the system. A past example is the incident near Kohima where the Scorpio vehicle of a sitting MLA involved in an accident, was allegedly carrying huge quantity of IMFL.
d. We would like to state that the Act is not a total failure.
- Both Excise Department and Police sources agree that with the Prohibition in force, crime rates and road accidents have decreased, general law and order improved, more peace and tranquility prevails at night, regular fights in families or in our streets reduced and women feel safer now than it was prior to prohibition days.
- Any Doctor in Nagaland particularly the Medical Superintendents of any Civil Hospitals can prove that accidents and diseases related to Alcohol consumption in the state has drastically been reduced after the Act.
- Village and town authorities and honest Excise and Police officials are enforcing the law with considerable success.
e. Any failure in the past reflects the level of non-performance which should not be the guiding principle nor basis for a decision that is going to have far- reaching effect on many more generations to come. Let us look beyond the present.
2. ON THE QUESTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS LOSING REVENUE
It has come to our knowledge that the Government is losing about a hundred crores rupees per year because of the Prohibition Act.
a. We would like to apprise our Government that in every country where studies were performed to see if Government really gained or lost revenue because they allowed Alcohol and tobacco to be sold. They were surprised by the fact that these Governments had lost much because it wanted some revenue. We would like to quote two studies to support this fact.
i) The Government of France in a study showed that the revenues earned by allowing alcoholic beverages were 53 billion francs. In contrast, 132 billion francs were spent in trying to pay for damages alcoholism produced on the country. Further the loss of productivity caused by alcoholism was estimated at 325 billion francs. That year the government of France lost more that 400 billion francs because it wanted to gain 53 billion francs in revenue.
ii) Closer home, research in tobacco revenues has revealed that the Indian Government received Rs.1551 crores in a year. That same year the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) estimated that the cost of treating cancer patients alone, arising from the abuse of tobacco was around rs.2365 crores annually. In addition Rs.3000 crores will be lost from disability and inefficiency caused by tobacco consumption. (The Hindustan times, Nov.’95). Apparently, governments all over the world are “penny wise and pound foolish”.
b. The NBCC would, in all humbleness like to convey that other avenues of earning income have not been properly explored by the government in the past. We would like to cite one example for the government to contemplate on.
i) We estimate that in a day around 5 crores worth on consumer goods are sold in the state. If proper taxation of those goods are enforced the government would get almost 8% of this amount i.e. Rs.40 Lacs in a day. In one year the government would garner revenues close to Rs.125 crores just by proper taxation. Compared to this Rs.100 crores of revenue that is not added due to liquor prohibition to the state treasury is a very small figure.
ii) How can any government really count the cost of what drugs, tobacco and alcohol abuse has done to our society in terms of money and revenue lost; lives lost from suicides, homicides, accidents, overdose, broken families, abused wives and children, lost jobs and shattered dreams.
iii) Responsible governance, proper utilization of funds and emphasis on transparency will be what saves the state from financial bankruptcy.
3. THAT THE ACT HAS LED TO AN INCREASE OF DRUG ABUSE AND HIV/AIDS.
On the question that the prohibition had lead to an increase of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS is not based on facts.
a. That the state has been badly affected by drugs is a fact we agree with. However the argument that it is because of the prohibition of Alcohol, although very convincing and the conclusion of most people, is not supported by scientific fact.
b. Nagaland like the rest of the world has been caught in the pandemic of drug abuse. It has touched every country, community and people on the planet.
c. In countries where free sale of alcohol is allowed, the rates of drug abuse have never been lower. Examples are the free western European countries and America.
d. 12 to 20 million Americans are regular users of marijuana, 20 to 25% of all High school students have made marijuana an accepted way of life, 6 to 8 million are hooked on to cocaine and heroin. An un-estimated number running into millions are on to amphetamines. This is happening in countries where alcohol is freely sold and society is more ordered.
e. Tamil Nadu State has the highest number of HIV/AIDS patients in India. This is happening in a state where the sale of liquor is free and legalized. In no country free sale of alcohol has brought the rates of drug abuse down. We agree that AIDS posses a serious danger to our society. We also agree that it was drug abuse and HIV mainlining that was responsible for the initial spread of AIDS in our society. However, every study has shown that this is the regular pattern of spread in any community. Later after the initial stage the main means of spread is sexual promiscuity in any society. Do not blame the spread of AIDS on our society on prohibition of Alcohol in our state. Drug abuse and AIDS is the outcome of the low moral life-style of our people.
NBCC’S STAND
1. The Nagaland Liquor Total prohibition Act has been passed as per the provision of the Constitution of India for the interest and welfare of the people in order to safeguard public health, public morality and public peace. Liquor Prohibition is one of the few brakes that is keeping our moral standard and social fabric intact to some extend.
2. The NBCC would like to state that we know the mentality and nature of our people. The behavior of our people during the recent election portrays how immature and corrupt our people have become leading to moral degradation our society in general. Many people around the world also drink, however, they know the limit and there is not much overt wanton acts of drunkenness. But our people have no discipline, we respect no authority. We have no limits. Lifting of prohibition would amount to complete madness and detrimental to the well being of our society which is already reeling under many social upheavals at present. Although this prohibition is short of perfection the general well being of our society, particularly for the weaker sections of societies including women and children is safeguarded.
3. The NBCC as the moral voice of the state would like to state that we cannot allow lifting of prohibition which is detrimental for our people; we won’t allow it to destroy the already fragile social fabric of our society. Most of the root cause of evils, accidents, crimes, lawlessness and corruptions are found in alcoholism in our society. Precious souls, promising youth and the cream of our society will be wiped out in no time and our streets will be unsafe by multiplying brawling drunkards and other violent elements if prohibition if lifted. We would like to reiterate to our government and those in prohibition that there are far more important issues to pursue at present. Please concentrate on matters of peace, unity, justice transparency, good governance with honesty and building just and free society. The NBCC questions the wisdom of bringing up the issue lifting prohibition at this juncture because we feel that such move will bring further division and destruction in an already and morally corrupted society.
4. The NBCC would like to highlight the fact that at the centre there are moves to ban liquor and tobacco products at the national level. We are happy and proud of our State Government’s decision of prohibition had preceded well ahead of the national awareness. Then why are we at the state level opposing the prohibition law which although imperfectly implemented has done much in improving the general well being of our society?
In conclusion we would like to state that the government of Nagaland has already committed to uphold the prohibition. NBCC expects the Government to strengthen its position by amending the loopholes section of the Act, but never yield to subtle pressures. We, the NBCC will oppose any move to go back from this commitment. We are open to any constructive arguments in this issue, provided the general well being of the people of the state is ensured. Any move to lift the Prohibition will be confronted with undoubted people’s protest.
Rev.L.Kari Longchar
On behalf of Liquor prohibition Committee
NBCC, Kohima.
