150 bikers to rally heralding sesquicentennial celebration
KOHIMA, MAY 24: The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) while reiterating to continue its efforts towards a cleaner election process, today said that its Clean Election Movement (CEM) will be intensified as part of the celebration of 150 years of Christianity in Nagaland.
The CEM a noble initiative of NBCC was officially launched in 1973, but it gained momentum since the 2003 State elections creating awareness among the public not to indulge in corruption, not to sell their vote or accept bribe during election, NBCC’s CEM, Dr Villo Naleo said during a press conference held at the Council office here today.
On a query how the CEM desires to go about in taking forward the movement as Nagaland despite being a Christian dominated State corruption is at its peak during elections, the NBCC General Secretary Rev Zelhou Keyho said “there has not been an elaborate visible progress, but it is gaining ground slowly”.
The outcome may not be as expected but every election there are success stories and these are becoming our basis to continue building the movement with the hope that though slow the impact will be greater with passing time, he said.
Unlike past elections, for the 2023 elections, NBCC launched the clean election campaign through its 20 affiliated and 4 associate church associations by mid-2021 so that the movement reaches every nook and corner of the State by the time elections are announced, said Rev Keyho.
He also informed that the clean election campaign this time is part of the 150 years of Christianity in Nagaland on the theme “Celebrating His (God’s) story” which will be celebrated from November 19 to 20 in Kohima.
The activities of CEM are now entering into the rural areas and the polling areas intensifying the campaign against malpractices during elections, he said.
CEM convenor Dr Naleo supplementing Rev Keyho said the movement may not have seen a major impact during the past campaigns, but even if a few of the electorates accept the challenge, it is a success story and the campaigners will not be bogged down by any negativity.
“We are now concentrating on churches and associations to own the movement to take it to the grassroots to create more impact in the coming years”, he said.
He also informed the CEM members are collecting the success stories, which would be documented and circulated through various mediums for greater impact.
Meanwhile, NBCC Youth Secretary N Suhuto Chishi said that as part of heralding the 150 years of Christianity, altogether 150 bikers belonging to 24 associations from all over the State under NBCC will be taking out bike rally on May 31 and June 1 covering at least 8 districts – Dimapur, Chumoukedima, Kohima, Tseminyu, Wokha, Mokokchung, Zunheboto and Phek.
During the rally, they will have stop-overs in the heart of the main town and hold short awareness programmes on clean elections and 150 years of Christianity in Nagaland.
On not passing through all districts, Chishi clarified that with the bikers being mainly church leaders and not professionals, it is difficult for them to cover all districts but involvement of bikers from the 24 associations and every district spread across the State has been ensured.
He said that the rally would be flagged off from WSBAK Centre, Aküvüto, Thahekhu village, Dimapur at 8:30 a.m., on May 31 and will culminate with thanksgiving prayer at NBCC Headquarters in Kohima at 4 p.m., on June 1.
Mention may be made that it was in the year 1872 that Rev. Dr. Edward Winter Clark, an American Missionary and his team visited Molongkimong village in Mokokchung leading to conversion of Nagas into Christian and establishment of the first Church in December the same year.
(Page News Service)
