Moa Jamir
In what could be regarded a crucial movement toward ushering ‘clean and fair election’ in Nagaland, with God as witness, seven political parties signed a Church brokered 18-point Agreement on June 22 for “addressing the evils of elections.”
The agreement was signed during a Clean Election Campaign (CEC) colloquium with Nagaland political parties organized by of Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), the apex body of the dominant Baptist Church in the State in Kohima.
The signatories include all the major political parties that presently operate in Nagaland State - the Naga People’s Front (NPF), Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), Nagaland Congress (NC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (U), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the newly formed Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Admitting that the absence of free and credible election in the State for many years is a “common failure”, the agreement, appended by the presidents of all the political parties and the Council President Rev. Dr. Mar Atsongchanger and General Secretary Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho, affirmed to follow and practice 18 principles laid down in NBCC’s Clean Election Campaign (CEC) guidelines.
A common dictionary would describe Politics as the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power; and aimed at improving someone's status or increasing power within an organization.
In a democratic society, theoretically such activities usually manifest itself in the form of periodical election where citizens give their consent to be governed by choosing leaders through “free, fair, and regular elections.”
The activity is guaranteed in Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 which reads, “... The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures." It implies not only free and fair election but also offering “equal conditions and opportunities” for citizens to have access to polling stations and to vote.
Most importantly, it is about ensuring that the will expressed by the people are “informed decision,” based on democratic values, thus the necessity for existence of strong democratic institutions and unbiased media to decimate the news to the public. In absence of this, often the will of the people may be easily manipulated through use of violence, money, rhetoric and authoritarian political groups.
However, it is the practical politics or concrete action as distinguished from theoretical discussion, where we most stumble upon.
Many past policies in Nagaland are inflicted with this malady. Instead of practising politics on principle, both the public and the politicians, have perfected the art of ‘playing politics’ described as the “act for political or personal gain rather than from principle.”
Election is speckled with many challenges. Some of the antics include the usual electoral malpractice perceptible across India, but others are distinctively Naga. Consequently, well-defined ideologies and manifestos become a casualty of practical politics in Nagaland. Along with monetary factor, personal configuration, tribal, clan and village dynamics among others also play a major role. It affects each level of the electoral politics, having distinct intricacies and complexities, as argued in this column before.
Consequently, while NBCC’s sustained effort in the face of massive challenges is lauded, many still view CEC with utter cynicism in many quarters – practicability being the biggest concern. Often lost at the novel idea the alternative option offers.
Thus any campaign must recognize these dichotomous realities. Bringing in political parties under the banner CEC is a pertinent step. It should be augmented by incorporating the same in the respective party’s manifesto. Not merely a symbolic gesture, having little practical relevance, but undertaken with letter and spirit. It should trickle down from top to the bottom.
All stakeholders – the religious and democratic institution, the political parties as well as the general public – are responsible for successful clean and fair elections in Nagaland.
Each entity must honour the ‘agreement’, or simply put – “Don’t play politics with God!”
For any comment, drop a line to moajamir@live.com
