The Clean Election Campaign of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has been appreciated by many people who are concerned by the manner in which elections in the past have been conducted in the Christian State of Nagaland. All of us are aware of the evils associated with our election process. The cost involved in such election is also astronomical for a poor State like Nagaland. And we are well aware of the consequence—the vicious cycle of corruption. This has an adverse effect on not just the moral fiber of our people but quality of life has been compromised and Nagaland and its people continue to suffer due to development deficit. Among the many people giving support to the NBCC initiative, we have had both the Governor and Chief Minister lauding the effort for a Clean Election Campaign. There are also those who consider the campaign of the Church as ‘too little too late’. In the context of the coming Assembly Election on February 23, 2013 this is indeed too late. However what we must understand is that we are planting for the future. It will take time to bear fruit. The NBCC is also aware that they have started late and the General Secretary has been honest enough to admit that we may not get 100% success in the forthcoming election. But let us also acknowledge this effort given that this is the first time in its history that such a clean election campaign has been conceptualized, planned and implemented. The NBCC was also busy with its Platinum Jubilee celebration besides taking up other concerns like the State wide sanitation drive. And so the Clean Election Campaign may be late but it is a step in the right direction.
Now the job that remains is to bring about education, awareness and change in the mindset of people across the land. The message of the Clean Election Campaign has to be permeated in such a way that we no longer hold on to old habits or corrupt practices. This will not happen overnight but it may take years even decades. But the important thing is to make sure that there is no turning back. One thing is clear and that is the NBCC alone will not be able to accomplish much on its own. Also we cannot compare ourselves to a State like Mizoram, which has been in the forefront of conducting free and fair election. And so unlike the Mizo Church, the NBCC largely depends on the associations because the Baptist churches in Nagaland is highly decentralized. On top of that, the social milieu of a Nagaland is much more challenging in terms of the diversity of tribes, languages and even political groups (factions). The Morung Express is committed to play its due role in support of the Clean Election Campaign. But we also believe that all section of Naga society must get involved in this movement for change and not necessarily only those belonging to a particular denomination or group or tribe etc. On its part, the NBCC has done well to begin this journey and we can only hope that Naga people respond to this most important issue of enjoying our rights as citizens to freely and fairly elect our rulers/representatives. As the NBCC in its booklet ‘Engaging the Powers: Elections—A Spiritual issue for Christians’ has highlighted, your vote is your birth right. And as the Governor of the State said during his Republic Day address, it is possible to make the coming election the cleanest election in our State’s history. That is if we try.
