Clean Election Movement calls for BJP, Congress public debate

Responding to the call for a debate on election manifesto thrown from the BJP’s office to the Congress party on February 16, the Clean Election Movement (CEM) said it would like to facilitate in organising this public debate by inviting both the parties to take part in a common platform.

“We appreciate Congress Party’s position that any debate on the manifesto would be ‘pointless, meaningless and a waste of time’ unless there is clarification by BJP on the three issues; (1) its 2018 Slogan, Election for Solution. 2) Whether it was ready to give a categorical assurance to the people of Nagaland that BJP government would not disturb Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution in letter and spirit?(3) Whether it would dissociate from and condemn the statement made by one of the front organizations of the RSS-Assam based Janajati Dharma-Sanskriti Suraksha Manch’s (JDSSM) which has demanded removal of ST status of people who have embraced Christianity”, it read.

CEM has requested both the parties to attend the same on February 23 at 1 pm in Dimapur

to increase voters’ knowledge, political accountability and wider democratic participation of the common public in Nagaland.

“We stand for clean, free, fair and informed choices,” it read.

It said further details for the common platform would be notified at the earliest, and on hearing from the two political parties.Dimapur, Feb. 20 (EMN)