Promises ‘God-fearing’ and corruption-free leadership
Dimapur, October 11 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today welcomed the decision of the Nagaland State Government to conduct elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). NPCC stated that the upcoming elections will be a “litmus test” for clean election and hold a ‘special future’ for the people of Nagaland.
“Voters shall choose between corrupt and God-fearing governance at the Municipal and Town Council Level” and the Congress Party shall “offer God-fearing, clean and good governance,” NPCC President K Therie stated in a press note received here today.
“Our job shall be to provide election manifesto underlining the future steps and assurances to deliver,” Therie said stressing that “Nagaland needs decent and disciplined ULBs.”
The promises will not be hollow, he assured, but shall bear fruits and will be delivered to “each and every targeted section without favour or ill-will, but with justice and equality.”
The State Congress President further pointed out that while Nagaland Government framed Urban Local Bodies Act as Municipal and Town Council Act under Article 243 (Q) of the 74th amendment to the Constitution of India in 1992, there is room for its re-amendment.
“In democracy, no Act is perfect and needs improvement with time… Even the ‘perfect’ has room to improve. Let the time come, we shall amend the Act according to the needs of the people,” Therie said. Congress has no intention to take away the rights of the people but we will legislate laws according to needs and safeguard the rights of the people, he added.
Given an opportunity, the Congress will remove Land and Property tax from the purview of tax since there are objections to these impositions, he promised.
Though the Party manifesto is yet to be released, Therie’s press note pointed in a general direction this may take. “Congress believes in the principles of democracy, secularism and socialism. We shall uphold them in directions of our actions,” he said.
Stating that as social human beings one cannot live without systems and discipline, the Party also affirmed its acceptance of the democratic system of governance - the system that allows us to choose the type of governance. Voters are at liberty to choose between election manifestos of various political parties, Therie said, but noted that, “God-fearing and corruption-free leaders must be elected to carry out holistically the commitment made in the election manifestos.”
“NPCC shall provide election manifesto for all ULBs. NPCC will select God-fearing workers to be the candidates of INC in the forthcoming ULB elections,” Therie assured.
Further, the NPCC President accused the Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) of keeping the election to ULBs in limbo for a long time while governing the same through nominated members who did “everything to corrupt and deform the Municipal and Town Councils.”
Elections were due for a long time and if Government of India had “not put conditions of election,” NPF Government would “never have taken steps” for ULB elections and would have continued the nomination system for their personal and party interests, he alleged.
Extending support to the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) stand with on the Clean Election, the State Congress President said that “Win or lose, our mission is to reach the message of the need for clean and God-fearing good governance.”
He further urged the Congress rank and file to comply with this. This election will be the stepping stone to clean election, Therie maintained.
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