Ever since the Election Commission (EC) of India announced the dates for by-elections to the 26 Aonglenden Assembly Constituency on May 8, 2011, several appeals and representatives have been given to the EC asking that the May 8 date be changed as it falls on a Sunday. First it was the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) which had requested the Chief Election Commissioner of India to reschedule the polling dates, pointing out that Nagaland being a Christian State “all normal and major activities are not taken up on Sunday as it hurts the religious sentiment of the people of the state”. The NPCC has suggested rescheduling the polling to a working week day “in order to salvage the sacred Sunday which is dear to the sentiment of the people of the state.” Similarly the Naga People’s Front (NPF) also argued along similar lines pointing out that “holding activities on a Sunday is unthinkable and would undermine the Christian faith of the Christians in the state”. The Government of Nagaland has also argued that Sunday was a sacred date for Christians. The State government has in fact suggested Saturday May 7 for the by-polls.
As is rightly mentioned by the Congress, NPF, State government and now also the Nagaland Baptist Church Council, Nagaland is predominantly a Christian State and therefore holding of election on such a day will be both inappropriate and inconvenient for everyone concerned, especially the officials and the voting public. The election commission should therefore see reason in the merit of argument presented before it and do the right thing by changing the dates for the by-polls from a Sunday to any other day. At the same time, if at all our political parties are so concerned about upholding the Christian faith and not to undermine it in anyway, we welcome such a stand of our parties and government. This is therefore a good time for our political parties to cleanse the electoral system and practice free and fair system of elections without “hurting the religion sentiments of a Christian State and believers and also without undermining the Christian faith of Christians in the State”.
The conviction and words that political parties have highlighted to the Election Commission of India should be translated into Christian like conduct and action during times of election. If we truly profess ourselves to be a Christian State as admitted by both the main political parties, our politics should also reflect the Christian values of honesty and virtue. If we can boldly tell the world that we are a Christian State and we don’t want elections on a Sunday, as is being stated by the government and political parties, in the same measure let us cleanse ourselves from evil practices of money-muscle-modhu (wine) power, proxy voting and other un-Christian like conduct. With our political parties having taken a firm stand against elections on a Sunday, the coming by-elections will indeed be a test of our Christian commitment.
As is rightly mentioned by the Congress, NPF, State government and now also the Nagaland Baptist Church Council, Nagaland is predominantly a Christian State and therefore holding of election on such a day will be both inappropriate and inconvenient for everyone concerned, especially the officials and the voting public. The election commission should therefore see reason in the merit of argument presented before it and do the right thing by changing the dates for the by-polls from a Sunday to any other day. At the same time, if at all our political parties are so concerned about upholding the Christian faith and not to undermine it in anyway, we welcome such a stand of our parties and government. This is therefore a good time for our political parties to cleanse the electoral system and practice free and fair system of elections without “hurting the religion sentiments of a Christian State and believers and also without undermining the Christian faith of Christians in the State”.
The conviction and words that political parties have highlighted to the Election Commission of India should be translated into Christian like conduct and action during times of election. If we truly profess ourselves to be a Christian State as admitted by both the main political parties, our politics should also reflect the Christian values of honesty and virtue. If we can boldly tell the world that we are a Christian State and we don’t want elections on a Sunday, as is being stated by the government and political parties, in the same measure let us cleanse ourselves from evil practices of money-muscle-modhu (wine) power, proxy voting and other un-Christian like conduct. With our political parties having taken a firm stand against elections on a Sunday, the coming by-elections will indeed be a test of our Christian commitment.
