DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 20 (MExN): Responding to the call for a debate on election manifestos as suggested by the BJP’s office to the Congress party on February 16, the Clean Election Movement (CEM) today stated that it would like to facilitate in organizing this public debate by inviting both the parties to take part in a Common Platform.
A press release from Dr Villo Naleo, Convener, Clean Election Movement, NBCC stated that it appreciates Congress Party’s position that any debate on the manifesto would be “pointless, meaningless and a waste of time” unless there is clarification by BJP on its 2018 slogan of ‘Election for Solution;’ whether it was ready to give a categorical assurance to the people of Nagaland that BJP government would not disturb Article 371(A); and whether it would dissociate from and condemn the statement made by one of the front organizations of the RSS-Assam based Janajati Dharma-Sanskriti Suraksha Manch’s (JDSSM) which has demanded removal of ST status of people who have embraced Christianity.
“But to increase voters’ knowledge, political accountability and wider democratic participation of the common public in Nagaland, CEM request both the parties to kindly attend the same on February 23 at 1:00 pm in Dimapur,” the CEM stated. “We stand for clean, free, fair and informed choices,” it added.
The CEM Convener informed that further details for the Common Platform will be notified at the earliest, and as they hear from the two political parties. The people in Nagaland await this occasion with great anticipation, it said.
