I believe almost all will agree that the NLPT Act is a moral agenda or moral issue. Both the pressure groups who support and oppose the Act will also agree that it is a 100 percent moral issue.
Then where is the point at issue lies? Does it lie with the implementation part or does it lie with the moral part? May I cite an example from the Bible in this coincidence? Was the planting of “the tree of knowledge of good of good and evil” in the middle of the Eden Garden a mistake?(Genesis 2:9).
Do we shock of such Forbidden Fruit tree planting in the middle of the so called paradise of God? What is wrong with God for planting that forbidden tree? Should we blame God who had already foreknown the possibility of falling into sin to have planted the dead-end tree there? Why? What is wrong with it? God said, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat” (Verse 16).
This utmost important gift of freedom suggests even the “Tree of Life” was also permitted to eat so that Adam and Eve could live without death. God gave them freedom of choice to choose between the two trees.
To eat the fruit of the Tree of Life and live or to eat the fruit of the trees of good and evil knowledge and die: It was not the accessibility or availability of the tree of good and evil knowledge in the garden that the two had been led into sin.
It was the wrong choice of the two! We know that.
In the same way, both the healthful and harmful things are also available in the open market.
It is the choice of the individuals that should be governed by themselves; neither by the government nor by the religious organization:
It is against the principles of the Bible, starting from the Eden Garden. Enforcement on moral issue is not only against the Biblical principles but also against the constitution of the country if the NLPT Act is considered as a moral issue.
Then the imbroglio issue of NLPT is not with the implementation part; it is the immoral choice of the individuals that defy the government orders or against the freedom of choice given by God.
It is not either the responsibility of the church to forcefully enforce the individual church members against their wills.
The duty of the church is to simply impart the knowledge of good and evil to the church members.
It is the ultimate choice of the individuals that are left to decide to live a good non-alcoholic Christian life or not.
Yes, implementation may be done by the government. It may recruit 10,000 or 20,000 more constables just to seal up the border lines or to completely ban the hidden secret liquor shops in the city spending lakhs of rupees, yet it will also not be possible to mold ones’ individual life unless the person himself is changed or committed to choose a God fearing non-alcoholic life style.
Implementation may go on as it is; drinkers will also keep on drinking as it is.
Some ardent promoters of healthy living believe that government can do so to completely ban the liquor drinks if man power is enhanced and if utmost harsh steps are taken up by the government. IT IS FUTILE TO THINK IT SO.
The point at issue is not with the implementation of banning the liquor shops but to stop the drinkers so as to avoid its evil effects in the society.
If it is not available in the city, drinkers themselves will go to Assam or wherever it is available and will return home in a drunken mood.
Enforcement to change someone’s life by stringent rules of the government instead of changing by the drinkers themselves is futile attempt to do so.
What some of the writers who had already cited in the past about the failure examples of international efforts to free alcoholic State were true.
The crux of the intent of the NLPT Act is an effort to stop the alcoholic drinks, not just to ban the sales.
But to do so, even granting capital punishment to the violators of the law will also not be able to stop the drinking society. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THERE SHOULD NOT BE A LAW T0 DEAL WITH THE ALCOHOLIC PROBLEMS. Laws (Narcotic law/Traffic Law/Civil Law) are already there.
For example: If a drunken driver killed a pedestrian, he would be booked under the Traffic law or Civil law.
In case, if a drunken husband beats his wife or divorces; civil law is there to deal with it.
Thankful to a good number of non-alcoholic Christian brothers and sisters! For them neither lifting up of the NLPT Act nor continue to impose it does not matter.
For, they themselves are enjoying a good healthy lifestyle on the basis of their own moral values and choice.
This Christian value is not produced by the fear of the NLPT Act or enforcement of it by the government. The NLPT Act cannot do either harm or to protect.
It is simply a lifeless written documental Act. I support God’s method of the Eden Garden. Let the citizens themselves decide to drink or not to drink. Let the freedom of choice prevail. God does like it too.
By R.Kamei
Wednesday, March 18, 2026