To close or not to close

The direction for closure of shops and other business activities in Dimapur on Sundays “to mark the day as Holy” in January by NSCN (IM)’s UT Central Administrative Officer (CAO) has created a raging debate between proponents and opponents of the directive.

Last week, six Dimapur-based organisations jointly notified that the business establishments dealing in perishable items, groceries, confectioneries and medicines, hotels, restaurants and travel agencies can resume operation within the Dimapur municipal area and the East Dimapur jurisdiction from Sunday, March 17.  It was responded with “God vs. perishable vegetables” poser from a Member of Christ Council of Nagalim Churches (CNC). Both sides are supported by other entities. 

The debate over Sunday time commerce, however, is not restricted to Nagaland alone; it was a contentious issue in the Western world particularly Europe and the United States, till recently. In Saudi Arabia, deliberation on whether all shops should close during prayer times or only on Friday prayer or shortening the breaks during other days are currently emerging. 

The debate, however, is not necessarily, religious, though it forms a core basis of the justification for a ban. Other arguments such as economic, worker’s right and leisure as well as ideological rhetoric are  offered. 

While the present case is not related to a ‘law’ in the true sense of words, a law forbidding certain secular activities on Sunday, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica, is called ‘Blue law.’ Such laws were particularly prevalent in the US. In "Strictest in Puritan, Bible-oriented communities,” it said: “Blue laws usually forbade regular work on Sunday, plus any buying, selling, travelling, public entertainment, or sports.” An article in Vox informed that blue laws are increasingly rare and the last statewide full-day restriction on commerce in North Dakota, was repealed in 1991. However, partial restrictions on certain hours or businesses for religious reasons exist. 

In Europe, the law varies from country to country, but mainly concerned with honouring workers right and leisure, with the existence of strong labour law, and more about opening hours than complete closure. 

A BBC analysis of the debate informed that the proponents of Sunday shopping argue that restrictions on opening hours are “anachronistic and out of kilter with the 24/7 economy in goods and services that people have come to expect and rely upon.”  Sports and art activities on Sunday are also cited as reasons.  Opponents see it as a symbol of the creeping commercialisation and secularisation and objections on religious grounds centre on protecting the special, spiritual nature of Sundays. By this they meant, not only for churchgoers and those attending other faith services but for those who want a “different pace of life, focused on the family rather than mammon,” it added. 

A general overview of international experience  in a study by Aleksandra Grzesiuk (2018) Sunday trading or opening hours has gradually liberalized the rules in the last two decades.  Among the European Union Member States, Hungary was the only country that recently introduced a ban on Sunday trading in 2015, but lifted it after a year, she noted. 

Religious practice and faith are emulated and adhered with lived realities; forced assertion of ‘truth’ over other people should not be the case while crass commercialisation without keeping workers’ right should be discouraged. Incidentally, the consumers, the ultimate decider, have little say on the matter. As for the fact of the matter, rigid dogmatism by belligerent parties would invariably escalate the current situation as one can give arguments against other ad infinitum. 

In the present case, the rejoinders, from both sides, however, seem to suggest a possible meeting point. The CNC member called for “proper discussion on the matter”; while asserting that “religion and faith are personal choices," the six organisations in response  also noted that the authorities in the NSCN/GPRN have allowed certain “businesses to open” and other relaxations are in the offing. In the realms of practicality, this should form the basis of the way forward over the issue, besides taking the views of every stakeholder – retailers, employees, consumers, the unions and lobby groups into account to arrive at a workable solution.