Kohima, March 4 (MExN): The Peraciezie Baptist Church Kohima conducted one day seminar on March 2 with three session on Know Your Rights, Rights & Benefits entitled to the citizen and Constitutional Provision protecting the Christian Community with Adv. Kezhokhoto Savi President NVCO as speaker and Pastor Kevichalie Metha as moderator.
Know Your Rights
While addressing the congregation, Kezhokhoto Savi said ‘Right’ is a privilege granted to the person who is entitled for it. He said that there are basic rights granted to a person, by birth and there are ‘Human Rights’ entitled to a person, to ensure the protection of his life, freedom and liberty, equality and dignity. Slavery, poverty, physical torture, destruction of property, killing, hunger, insurgency, sex exploitation, forced labour, child labour, commercial sex exploitation, illiteracy, etc. are against human rights.
While highlighting on ‘Consumer Rights’, Savi said that the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) had started its two week-long observance of ‘World Consumer Rights Day’ from March 1 to 15, 2018.
He also said that all neighbouring states have stopped collection of cash at the check-gates or on any highways with implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), however, despite of government standing order in banning the collection of cash at the check-gates and on any highways this menace continue in Nagaland till date which causes ‘Price Rice’ in the market.
He also spoke on Food Safety & Standard Act, medical negligence, Public Services delivery system, Street Vendors(Protection of Livelihood & Regulation of Street Vending)Act, RTI, Article 371A of Indian Constitution, Nagaland State Consumer Helpline Toll free No. 1800-345-3701 and Environment.
A similar session would be held on March 14, organised by Nagaland University non-teaching staff at Kohima Campus in view of two-week long celebration of ‘World Consumer Rights Day’ with the Year theme.
Rights and benefits entitled to citizens
Savi said that National Food Security Act is to give access to adequate quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity. Households covered under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AYY) can be entitled to 35 kgs of food grains per month and for the Priority Household(PHH) 5 kgs per person per month at the rate of Rs.3/- per kg for rice and Rs.2/- per kg for wheat.
Other topic includes free legal-aid, Lokayukta, MGNREGA, VDB guidelines, unconstitutional practices of retaining Parliamentary Secretaries & Advisors, backdoor appointments. While stressing on corruption scenario in Nagaland Savi as one of ACAUT convenors appealed the churches to pray for ACAUT Nagaland in their fight against corruption. He also said that ‘Clean Election campaign’ has to be continued with the hope that clean election would re-build the Naga society.
Constitutional Provisions protecting the Christian community
Earlier, the President of NVCO Kezhokhoto Savi, during the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) 21st Triennial Convention held at Impur, Mokokchung spoke on the topic – “Constitutional Provision with special reference to Christians”.
On this, the NVCO stated that it is very serious with this topic keeping in mind the acceleration of the violation of the Christians fundamental rights in the country such as persecution, violence, killing pastors, evangelists, missionaries, burning of churches, rejecting the visa of top foreign Christian preacher, forceful conversion, denial of ration cards, expelled from village etc,.
The NVCO would continue to create more awareness on the fundamental rights of the Christian as a secular state and to voice against the persecution of Christian in the country.
