The General Secretary of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho, has expressed concerns over the recent provisions allowing liquor consumption during the Hornbill Festival. This follows a government move to relax certain restrictions under the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act (NLTPA), particularly for medical, military, and hospitality purposes.
Rev Keyho acknowledged the ongoing debate between the government and the church regarding the NLTPA. He pointed out that while the government argues for lifting restrictions to boost revenue, the church maintains that the harmful societal impacts of alcohol must be considered.” Everyone seems to know the ill-effects of alcohol in the society in general and the family in particular. Every mother has a story to tell how liquor has destroyed the family. And yet we continue to ignore this aspect and the arguments continue,” said Rev Keyho, stressing that the church stands firm in supporting the continuation of the NLTPA.
He also raised concerns about the potential perception of Nagaland as a destination for alcohol consumption, arguing that tourists should be drawn by the state’s culture, heritage, and tribal life rather than the availability of liquor. “For sure, the tourists are not visiting our state because there is a provision for visitors to drink liquor in Nagaland. But we believe they are here because they want to experience our culture and our heritage and our tribal way of life,” he added.
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