Nupi Samaj, CADA decry step to legalise liquor
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 05 2023: Taking strong exception to the Cabinet decision to legalise liquor, the All Manipur Women's Social Reformation & Development Samaj (Nupi Samaj) and Coalition Against Drug and Alcohol (CADA) have asked whether the Government consider legalising liquor to be more important than finding a solution to the vexed conflict in Manipur.

Nupi Samaj and CADA, in a joint statement, further asked if the Government has a secret agenda in giving another nod to legalise production, manufacture, possession, import, export, transport, purchase, sale and consumption of liquor.

Withdraw the Cabinet decision on legalising liquor, they demanded.

The Cabinet taking a resolution to lift the ban on sale and consumption of liquor under Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act 1991 instead of putting maximum effort to douse the flame of violence is uncalled for and unfortunate, they asserted.

Saying that the biggest social effect which the State has been facing for decades is alcoholism and drug use, Nupi Samaj and CADA claimed that nearly 80 per cent of the State population take one form of intoxicant or others.

People carry out different forms of crime and domestic violence under the influence of alcohol, they claimed and recalled that the movement of Nisa Bandh started in the 1970s after the impact of alcoholism on the society became unbearable.

Alcoholism still remains one of the biggest social issues of Manipur despite the enactment of Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act in 1991 due to lack of seriousness in implementing the legislation by the successive Governments, they charged and added that the Congress Government also tried to remove the Act (Liquor Prohibition) during their tenure but was unsuccessful in doing so due to serious opposition by the people.

Continuing that Nupi Samaj, CADA and several organisations have been demanding withdrawal of the Cabinet decision taken on September 20, 2022 to lift Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act 1991, they added that the Cabinet taking another decision to legalise liquor without paying any heed to their demand is unfortunate.

Can the Government guarantee that legalising liquor will benefit the people and generate the revenue they envision, Nupi Samaj and CADA asked while citing the example of Loktak Project, Hundung cement factory, Loitang Khunou spinning mill and bamboo chipping plant at Jiribam.

They went on to claim that the Cabinet decision may have been taken in the interest of a group of people who want to earn a large chunk of money from liquor.

On the claim of the Government that many people had died after consuming adulterated liquor regularly, CADA and Nupi Samaj asked if legalising liquor is the solution and can it help in building a healthy society.

Liquor and illicit drugs are products of the society and there will be problems in Manipur even if only the finest liquor are available as long as the system doesn't change, they added.

Further stating that legalising liquor may make Manipur more dependent for food grain from other States as liquor mostly has to be brewed from rice, CADA and Nupi Samaj urged the Government to study all the ramifications legalising liquor will have.

There is no problem in using liquor for religious purposes but commercialising it must be stopped, they added.

Saying that the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act must be strengthened to save the younger generations from alcoholism, Coalition Against Drugs and Alcohol (CADA) and Nupi Samaj urged the Government to withdraw the decision taken in favour of legalising liquor.

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