Dry Christmas, New Year's in Mizoram as Zoramthanga takes steps for total prohibition

Christmas and New Year's celebrations in Mizoram would happen without alcohol as Zoramthanga government Tuesday decided to declare dry days from Friday to January 14 and shut all liquor shops operated by state agencies.

Zoramthanga's MNF, which stormed to power in the state, promised total prohibition ahead of the polls. However, as a new legislation would require time, the new government decided to declare dry days in the christian-majority state.

The decision was made in the first meeting of the council of ministers, Zoramthanga told reporters. "Efforts would be made to legislate prohibition law by early next year," he added.

Total prohibition was imposed in the state on February 20, 1997 by the then Congress government. However, it was lifted in early 2015. Following this, wine shops were opened in the state from March 16, 2015.

In the run up to the November 28 assembly polls, alcohol emerged as a major political issue. While the Congress was against total prohibition, the MNF wanted a complete ban.

The BJP had taken a middle path by proposing to ban alcohol coming from outside the state and encourage only locally produced ones.

In the elections, MNF ousted Lal Thanhawla's Congress government and bagged 26 seats of the 40-member state legislature.