Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has called for a non-partisan democratic election to urban local bodies (ULBs) in the State.
In a letter to chief minister Neiphiu Rio, NPCC president K Therie explained that this meant that political parties would not be nominating their candidates and the wards (constituency) concerned would be allowed to choose moral leaders through consensus and cooperation.
He claimed that non-partisan election was an inherent custom in Nagaland and followed at many villages during village council polls.
He pointed out that non-partisan elections were generally held in municipal, county offices, school boards and also common in the election of judges. He said there were a few nations too that followed this system. According to him, the idea in India was moved by MN Roy, Mahatma Gandhi promoted it and it was put into action by Jayaprakash Narayan.
He further appealed to the chief minister to do away house and property tax and explore other resources.
Acknowledging that ULB election was a compulsion due to Supreme Court directive, Therie noted that the reminder memorandum by three bodies indicated that the State government was sleeping over the contentious issue after the 2017 protest in which two precious lives were lost and the heritage Nagaland Legislative Assembly complex was burned, forcing then chief minister TR Zeliang to resign. He claimed that Congress had always stood for women reservation in ULB election and women contributed to home and to advancement of nation.
The NPCC president also called for reviewing gender inequality found in Naga custom in the spirit of their faith and progressive civilisation. He insisted that women should be at liberty to participate in the process of making decisions to secure maximum justice and equality.
He pointed out that Article 371(A) was not to prevent liberty, justice and equality and progressive life, but to safeguard and protect inherent properties and virtues of Nagas.
“Allowing women to participate was only doing justice,” he emphasised.
Therie alleged that elections in Nagaland were purely fought over money, while other nations chose their leaders and manifestos.
Hence, he feared that the outcome of ULB election would be no different from Assembly elections with political parties.
As there were 416 wards/constituencies under 60 municipal and 356 town councils, Therie said if three candidates contested in ULB polls like Assembly election, the economy of over 1,200 candidates could get impacted, which would lead to economic chaos in the State and corruption at the grassroots.
Further, all tribes, including non-Nagas, resided in towns and municipal areas.
Nagaland had not been able to shake off tribalism. Thus, he warned that ULB election would lead to further division of society. And in the mid of the disharmony and corruption, the objective of welfare and development would be lost, he added.