NBCC, political parties pledge for clean & fair election

Our Correspondent
Kohima | June 22  

In the run up to the Nagaland State Assembly election which is slated in the early month of 2018, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) on Thursday brokered an agreement with the different political parties in the State to pledge for conduct of a free and clean election which the apex church body has been campaigning  for since 2012.  

What can be termed as a significant progress on the clean election campaign journey, at least in the paper, as of now, the NBCC and seven political parties existing in Nagaland-namely the Naga People’s Front (NPF), Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), Nagaland Congress (NC), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (U) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)- signed a bond of agreement “before God” after a NBCC- CEC colloquium at the NBCC headquarters, Kohima.  

“We admit our common failure that the Naga people have not been able to conduct a free and credible election in the State for many years. In this context various political parties in Nagaland met under the leadership of NBCC Clean Election Core Committee,” read the agreement appended by the presidents of all the political parties and NBCC president Rev Dr Mar Atsongchanger and general secretary Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho.  

In order to eradicate corruption in a so called Christian dominated society, election malpractices is one major area that need to be cleaned, the agreement pointed out.  

“We affirm the fact that NBCC and political parties should work together in addressing the evils of elections. Therefore, to realize the objectives of the CEC guidelines, the political parties in Nagaland along with NBCC agree to follow and practice the following principles (See box), signed before God on this day the June 22, 2017 at the NBCC Headquarters, Kohima,” the agreement further stated.  

The 18 principles or “commandments” that the political parties pledged to stop practicing include the usual lure and vices of buying votes with money, insisting/forcing clan, khel, village, and family to declare support for a particular candidate bribing voters with money or materials, using support of underground/NPGs for threatening voters etc, which has been the setting of election in Nagaland.  

Earlier, several political leaders attending the NBCC- CEC colloquium stressed on the need to focus on cleansing the electoral roll for clean election to take place. “The first and foremost thing to do is to clean the electoral roll,” said Z. Lohe of Nagaland Congress while endorsing the concern expressed by Captain GK Zhimomi from the NPCC. At the same time, Lohe also felt that CEC must be an action oriented one.  

Former president BJP State unit, Dr. M. Chuba Ao viewed that voters should register their name wherever they live in. Stating that workshop and seminar alone is not enough, NPF working president Apong Pongener stressed on the need to collectively work out the modalities supported by political parties and form a neutral body to push forward the clean election movement.  

‘CEC not a campaign against politicians & political parties’

Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) general secretary Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho today said that the Clean Election Campaign (CEC) is not a campaign against the politicians, political parties, not against individuals.  

“But it is a campaign for positive change and attitude, to educate the voters if they chose to vote, to vote without false expectation and without being influenced and to use their birthright honorably and with dignity,” he said while addressing the CEC colloquium with Nagaland political parties organized by NBCC here today.  

Political leaders from NPF, NPCC, NC, DPP, BJP, JD (U) and AAP attended the programme and extended support to CEC.  

“We are no longer free and fair people. Dishonesty and fear has taken grip of us. Unless we make peace with each other and also correct our ways from where we have gone wrong we will continue to fight among ourselves,” the NBCC general secretary lamented.  

Stating that Nagas deserve better, Rev. Dr. Zelhou stressed on the need to put our heads together to find ways and means and develop our strategies and strengthen each other without becoming discouraged. “Today, what is presented before us is to clean up ills of dirty election system that has eaten us away making us impotent in our performances.”  

He pointed out that “if we can clean the dirty mess of electioneering system in our society more than half of our problem will be solved and we will all be happier people.”  

“Election is not bad, it is good. In a democratic society it is the process of electing our representatives to power to rule over the affairs of the government and the people,” he said adding that when the ideals of democratic electioneering process are abused the result becomes devastating.  

While asserting that CEC is everyone’s business, the church, the society, and the politicians as well, Rev. Dr. Zelhou however said it should not be used to point fingers at each other.  

“CEC is a movement of Holy Discontent. Our society in general is disintegrating, fragmenting or fragmented and ism has become the order of the day. The five year cycle of selling our votes to vote and buying of votes to power must be put to a stop!”  

Later in the evening, the NBCC also had a meeting with the different denominational heads including the Peace Channel (Catholic Church), Catholic Church, SBAK (Aizuto), NCRC, Assemblies of God and volunteers.  

Agreement signed between Nagaland political parties & NBCC

•    Shall not buy votes with money.

•    Shall not insist/force Clan, Khel, Village, and family to declare support for a particular candidate.

•    Shall not bribe the voters with money or materials.

•    Shall not distribute party money or provide party-based development work during election time.

•    Shall not distribute alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants to voters.

•    Shall not set up camps in colony/khel/village/town.

•    Shall not put up flags and posters on an individual household except in party office and house of the candidate.

•    Shall not provide feasting, picnic, or go for procession.

•    Shall not use force, intimidation and undue influence to the voters.

•    Shall not use the support of underground/NPGs for threatening voters.

•    Shall have a clear and realistic manifesto.

•    Shall avoid house to house campaign.

•    Shall discipline the party workers and educate them with CEC instructed by the NBCC.

•    Shall not use/spread false propaganda for personal gain.

•    Shall not be involved in booth capturing and any other activities which are unbecoming of any political party.

•    Shall deliver peace, justice, and development for our people.

•    Shall participate in the common platforms organized by the Clean Election Committee.

•    Shall support NBCC-CEC Guidelines in letter and spirit, and cooperate with all the initiatives of Association level CEC-Core Committee.