Women set up check gates to restrict liquor supply

Press Trust of India  

Kohima: Nagaland is a dry state but with the February 27 Assembly election campaign gaining momentum, a women's organisation in Phek district has set up check-gates to restrict the flow of liquor offered as inducement to voters in the district during the poll process.

Phek is occupied by Chakhesang and Pochury tribes having five assembly constituencies with four seats in Chakhesang area and also has some villages in Meluri constituency of the Pochury tribe.

Concerned about the ill effects of liquor and also liquor offered as inducement during Assembly elections, the womenfolk of the Chakhesang Naga tribe under the Chakhesang Mothers' Association (CMA) have put up around 100 check-points in their area, Zhonelü Tunyi, president of CMA, the apex body of womenfolk for Chakhesang community in Phek district. "During elections the flow of liquor as inducement is very high while many people get into physical fights and clashes in support of candidates becoming enemies and even leading to killing.

"Our main objective is to have a free, fair and inducement free election with the expectation that once such flow of inducements is stopped, people will remain sober and avoid getting into conflicts," she said. Also during elections, once people get drunk without being shameful they repeatedly ask money from candidates and political leaders, she said.

Accepting that the flow of liquor continues even during other times, she said "we are also mothers and have our own responsibilities at home and personal work as well making it difficult for us to maintain the checks throughout the year, but during election period the flow of liquor increases manifold for inducing voters".

When asked about CMA putting up check-gates to restrict flow of liquor in the district, police said that such moral policing is appreciated but the enforcers should not take law into their hand and report issues directly to them. CMA feels that if people remain in proper sense, such skirmishes can be avoided and the electioneering process will be peaceful, she said.