Modi’s governance theme for Christmas Day has bad motives: NBCC

Church org calls Good Governance Day a Sangh policy Dimapur, Dec. 3: The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has termed “Good Governance Day” stipulated on Christmas Day as declared by the Narendera Modi government a ‘good move with bad motives.’ The NBCC issued a press release on Saturday stating that the entire form reeks of Hindu nationalist attempts to compromise the secular ethos of democratic India. “Good governance day is good but the intention to have it on December 25 is nothing short of following the Sangh's policies to suppress the religious minorities in a secular India,” the NBCC stated. The government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is well aware that December 25 is a sacred day “known as Christmas” which is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ for the last 2000 years more for Christians all over the world, the church reminded. “Good Governance Day on December 25 will go down in the history of Christianity in India that there is always a Caesar in every turn of history to destroy the faith of the Christians. Hence, asking the country to rather observe it as a 'Good Governance Day' to honor the former BJP Prime Minister is hurting the sentiments of the same people who trusted the government during elections to be secular and unbiased.” The council also noted that the ‘good governance day’ on a sacred day would only hurt the sentiments of Christian for whom the date of the day is to celebrate the birth of Jesus with worship and remembrance. “With the day approaching, it has come back once again to hurt the sentiments of the minority Christians in India in general and the majority Christian society in Nagaland. NBCC feels this is a deliberate attempt to dilute the importance of the day. Unless, this is rectified it will go down in history as a discriminatory move against the religious minorities,” the council stated. The NBCC lauded the prime minister that his government was "committed to providing a transparent and accountable administration which works for the betterment and welfare of the common citizen." The church agreed with the statement. However, it stated that the “application of it on such an auspicious occasion is thoughtless and insensitive to certain group of people, particularly to the Christian minority in the country.” The press release also what could be next now that the government had ‘played with the sentiments of the 24 million plus Christians in the country.’ “...what will be next? Peace and harmony of the country should be the utmost priority and responsibility of any progressive government but such instances that disturbs people's mindset will only undermine the nation's secular fabric. It will also amount to the establishment of the tyranny of the majority, whereby the majority places its own interests above, and at the expense and to the detriment of, those in the minority.” If not restrained, the NBCC cautioned, it can lead to a “democracy that rules on behalf of the majority and not on the basis of rightness and excellence.” The NBCC has urged the central government to “stay away from creating division by following certain religious pressure” and to keep the country free from communal feeling and insecurity.