Mokokchung, February 14 (MExN): As Nagaland gears up for the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly Election, Christian believers have been encouraged “to exercise their given fundamental right without losing one’s credibility and without infringing the secular fabric of the nation.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Executive Secretary of the Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM), Impur, Rev Dr Mar Pongener stated that it was his moral duty as a Christian leader, to send out a clear and loud message encouraging Christian stalwarts to participate actively and prayerfully in choosing leaders.
Dr Pongener stated that voting for money, indulgence in alcoholism, spreading false propaganda to woo voters, provoking and affecting peace and harmony in the society, booth rigging, proxy voting etc, are not only against the law but also unethical from the viewpoint of Christian teaching, and as such, cautioned every Christian to refrain from immoral activities.
He also opined that “modern India is facing many forces that play beneath the slogan of development and better futures of our society.”
“While slogans for development and a better future of society are embraced, we are encouraged to be critical and sensitive towards any political party whose agendas are exclusively entangled with a particular religion,” he further stated.
In this context, Rev Pongener reminded that the India was founded on the principle of unity in diversity and that the country draws its strength on respecting every community irrespective of caste, creed, and religion. Based on these principles, he encouraged every sensible Christian to choose their leader wisely.
Further, reminding that Nagaland is a Christian majority state and the majority of the leaders are Christian, he urged the people to, “Choose leaders who walk the talk as Christians and who can courageously voice on your behalf for justice and protection of the minorities from all sorts of atrocities in the hands of majorities.”
“It is high time for the Nagas to take a proactive approach to elect leaders whose agendas are for mutual faith relationships considering religions as a dynamic and creative agent in affecting Nation Building without infringing the rights and privileges of the minorities. Striving toward the fullness of the whole human race, and eradicating hegemonic ideology, injustice, and divisions should be the calling and destiny of every conscious person,” he added.
