Mokokchung, March 1 (MTNews): As the 14th Assembly Election comes to an end, the Clean Election Movement (NBCC) has said that it “takes moral responsibility that clean election could not be practiced in letter and in spirit.”
In a press release on Wednesday, CEM Convener Dr Villo Naleo said, “Our hearts grieve for the sin and condemn in the strongest terms against those precious lives that were taken needlessly.”
“We are saddened by the rampant violence, malpractices and proxy voting that has been cast. When national media celebrate and flash the over 84% voter’s turnout in Nagaland, our heads hang in shame because each conscientious voter in Nagaland knows the reality that is reflected in the highly inflated turnout percentage,” he stated in the press release.
“Like all great social movements in history, the Clean Election Movement (CEM) is for our times in Nagaland,” Dr Naleo stated. He said that when the Nagaland Baptist Church Council staged the CEM, “we understood the enormity of the task before us,” and fully appreciated that it would be a long and a tiring process.
He, however, said that despite the limitations and challenges of CEM, “we are encouraged and emboldened by the commitment of numerous individuals and organizations that came out in support and practiced the principles of clean election.”
While thanking those who stood by the pledge of Clean Election Movement and appreciating their courage, he said that these are “seeds of hope, and traction of change that slowly but surely will shape the Nagaland that we envision. Because we believe that the smallest of light is more powerful and will conquer the darkest and strongest of force that seems insurmountable.”
While expressing hope, he said that the CEM would review and strategize its course of actions with renewed vigour, commitment, lessons learned and faith in God. “We continue to solicit the support and active participation of all citizens, organizations and government establishments to make Clean Election a reality in our land,” he added.