Kohima: Amid growing calls from civil society organisations (CSOs) to lift the prohibition law in Dimapur district, Nagaland government spokesperson and minister K.G. Kenye on Thursday clarified that the issue has not yet come up for discussion in the state cabinet.
Kenye said the recent move by the Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) seeking the withdrawal of the more than 35-year-old prohibition law has not been deliberated upon at the cabinet level so far.
He noted that the government’s previous effort to revisit the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act of 1989 and related laws was made with sincere intent and in the broader interest of the state, but acknowledged that the initiative had not been well received by the public.
Acknowledging that the issue has sparked widespread debate, Kenye said the government has chosen to let the people decide. “This is a people-centric issue. Let the vast majority decide the future course. We have seen healthy debates and differing opinions across sections, and we hope the Naga Council’s discussion is also in the larger interest of the public,” he said.
The minister further clarified that the government has not yet received any formal proposal to lift the prohibition law. “Perhaps a time will come when the cabinet will take it up for discussion,” Kenye said.
In the meantime, the movement to repeal the NLTP Act in Dimapur district continues to gather momentum. Several civil society organisations from East Dimapur have extended their support to the demand, joining the Naga Council Dimapur (NCD), which has already convened two joint consultative meetings on the issue.
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NCD President G.K. Rengma said the council’s initiative to address the “controversial Act” can move forward only with public support and the active involvement of civil society. He described the latest meeting as a “significant step toward building grassroots consensus” on the issue.
