The NBCC has come out with the catchy slogan ‘Clean Election’ and other social organisations and political parties followed suit, echoing the same song. But without knowing the core problem everyone is displaying skin-deep posture. The NBCC raised election corruption and ‘one man one vote’ issue. But no concrete practical steps have been taken by NBCC, Election office or any organisation. NBCC talk about election corruption but they failed to raise even their fingers when money was rampantly used in the last 10th Northern Angami 1 A/C By-election held on 29th July 2017. This election corruption happened in their own court yard (NBCC Hq is located in 10th Northern Angami 1 A/C). Again election related violence broke out in Tuli area where a house and vehicles were damaged. But everyone remained silent. When NBCC couldn’t do anything in their own kitchen what will happen to far flung constituencies where accessibility is difficult when such malpractices occurred?. Rationally, no one in the world can prevent money distribution during election Policing by churches, Government authorities, and other Organisations will not be productive. As per report, election expenditure in 2008 was Rs. 580 crore while in 2013, it zoomed up to Rs. 930 crore. In this 2018 election it will surge as high as Rs. 1500 crore.
We are all aware that no matter the astronomical amount spent or the extent of election campaign conducted by various political parties or various candidates, the final fate lies on the polling day.
Whether ‘one man one vote’ or free and fair election will take place is the basic issue. In other word Clean Election.
If NBCC is really serious, they can contribute quite a lot. Whether the church leaders (all denominations) can oversee the polling process inside the polling stations on a polling day in all the polling stations in Nagaland?. If NBCC mean business, they must go down to the ground level and do brass tack initiative. The NBCC should take all other Churches into confidence like Catholic, Christian revival, Pentecost, Assembly of God etc because co-ordination and concerted effort is required to ensure Clean Election.
State election will come soon and therefore, immediate measures need to be taken by the churches without further delay lest the call of Clean Election by the church will be another farce like Liquor Prohibition!.
Kethosilie Angami
