Nagaland legislator Imchen criticises BJP’s church cleaning directive, terms it ‘stupid idea’

KOHIMA — Advisor for Information and Public Relations (IPR) and Soil and Water Conservation, Imkong L Imchen, on Wednesday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) recent directive instructing party workers to clean church compounds, stating that prior consent should have been taken.

Earlier this week, the state BJP issued a directive asking its workers to conduct a ‘cleanliness drive at church compounds’ at the mandal/booth level on May 11, among other activities. However, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) had declined the proposal, while suggesting the BJP leadership to mobilise party members to safeguard “persecuted churches in the mainland”, citing atrocities being meted out to church leaders as well as demolition of worship places.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Moatsü festival celebration in Kohima, Imchen termed the BJP’s directive as a “stupid idea”, underscoring that churches belong to the community and any assistance should only be offered after consultation and with their approval.

Expressing his disappointment over the move of the BJP, Imchen, who also belongs to the party, likened the act of cleaning church compounds without permission to criminal offense. “Without taking consultation or consent, if someone wants to clean another person’s house, that person can be charged under criminal law,” he explained.

He went on to say that the BJP party did not contest in the recent parliamentary election in Nagaland and instead supported the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate. However, it was the BJP that faced maximum criticism from the Christian community, he said, attributing the backlash to allegations of the party’s involvement in acts against Christians in the mainland India.

Emphasising the need for mutual respect for institutions, he said that going inside a church compound without permission amounts to undermining the sanctity of the church, and maintained that the party should not have issued such an unwarranted directive.

Asserting that he is a Naga first and also a Christian, he urged the BJP to prioritise respect and consent, especially when seeking votes and support.

Furthermore, he maintained that all the churches and their premises in Nagaland are clean and neither the BJP nor any other political parties should enter the church without proper consent.

On ULB elections

With the urban local body (ULB) election scheduled for June 26 after a gap of almost two decades, Imchen expressed confidence that it will be held in areas under the Ao Senden despite the organisation’s objection in the past, as a new municipal act has been passed by the state assembly.

He said that the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) decision to abstain from participating in the ULB election ‘is not surprising’ as they are ‘consistent in their demand’.