Drink Dunk

Not very long ago, while trying to contact some South Asian rock bands for a concert in Kathmandu, we came in contact with some really cool rockers who readily agreed to come and perform for free, but expected a nice time, including a plentiful supply of booze. Having grown up in Gangtok, where liquor is almost an essential ingredient of the local culture, I am used to seeing alcohol being sold in the open market. But coming to Kathmandu, it took even me some while to get used its ‘open’ sale in the market. Open here seemed to take a different meaning altogether: from the neighbourhood kirana pasaal to the pan dokan, everyone appeared to have a bottle or two of rum of whiskey among their fare.

The administration seems pretty lenient on the sale of alcohol, and why not? Prohibition has failed in most places so why not reap the benefits of keeping liquor in the open market by way of tax and excise revenues. I really admire open policies when it comes to substances deemed addictive and derogatory for general health and the society. Curbs and bans only tend to increase the ‘wow’ factor, leading to more serious implications.

Anyway, after my pro-administration banter, I have one question to raise. Why arrest a person who consumes the liquor, over the sale of which the administration has no qualms about?

Why penalize consumption when the sale of the same is no violation?