ECI not to initiate action against NBCC for its letter to parties

New Delhi, Feb 15: According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the appeal issued by the Nagaland Baptists Church Council (NBCC) to the voters to choose between ‘trishul’ and the ‘cross’, does not violate the model code of conduct or the Representation of People Act, 1951. As such the ECI has decided not to take any action against NBCC in this case.

The NBCC in its letter has alleged that the minorities had experienced the ‘worst persecution’ under the BJP rule at the Centre. “We cannot deny that the Hindutva movement in the country has become unprecedentedly strong and invasive in the last few years with BJP, the political wing of RSS, in power,” the NBCC general secretary Rev Keyho observed in the letter.

“God must be weeping when Naga politicians are running after those who seek to destroy Christianity in India,” he added.

Strongly opposing what it called the “invasion” of Hindutva forces in Nagaland, Rev Keyho said that the party in power at the Centre is fighting tooth-and-nail to assert its presence in Nagaland, a Christian-majority state.

The letter also stated, “Our people are fond of propaganda and because of this we often miss reality. India has experienced its worst persecution ever in 2015-2017. You will be fully aware that persecutions have been tripled in recent years. Pastors, evangelists and missionaries are dragged openly in the streets, harassed, insulted and many made to suffer. Their homes destroyed and children discriminated in schools. Worship places were burnt down and believers are often disturbed and harassed. The Bible is openly burnt and confiscated.”

The Election Commission (EC) commenting on the letter said, “The appeal does not directly concern the electoral process or conduct of elections. It is not a violation of the model code of conduct or Representation of the People Act, 1951, both of which only restrain candidates, political parties and their leaders and governments from making appeals for votes along communal lines. Here the appeal is by a common man and may at most be viewed as a violation of Supreme Court guidelines issued last year banning communal appeals, including those by religious and spiritual leaders. Any citizen may therefore file a complaint or, alternatively, the district administration may suo moto take cognisance. The EC does not come into the picture, unless the aggrieved party approaches us seeking our intervention,” said an EC functionary.

The functionary said neither BJP nor its allied parties had approached the Election Commission yet. Incidentally, the full commission comprising Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat and Election Commissioners Sunil Arora and Ashok Lawasa will pay a three-day visit to Nagaland and Meghalaya starting Wednesday. Both states will go to polls on February 27.

Interestingly, the appeal by NBCC general secretary Rev Zelhou Keyho was directed at political leaders of the state who have aligned with BJP, instead of addressing the voters. However, it is seen as having the potential to influence minds of the predominantly Christian electorate. Keyho had asked ‘believers’ not to surrender their Christian principles and faith and “sell Jesus for the sake of development”.

The appeal is reminiscent of one issued by Archdiocese of Gandhinagar Archbishop Thomas Macwan during Gujarat Assembly elections in December last year.