The Lotha Baptist Churches Association (LBCA) has disowned any involvement with the peace rally on August 22 which it said, was organized by LBCA (R).
In a rejoinder, LBCA executive secretary Rev Khonbemo P Kikon said the association being a religious organization, was engaged in the extension of God’s kingdom and never had plans to organise such rallies and propaganda programmes.
Rev. Khonbemo Kikon said LBCA left everything to God for His judgment, except seeking justice and administrative fair-play as guaranteed by Baptist Distinctive on which was based the faith foundation.
He said LBCA formed in 1923 through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, also understood that the kingdom of God could not be ruled by force, lies and exaggerations.
Rev Khonbemo pointed out that LBCA (R) was established by Lotha Hoho on March 18, 2022 at VDB Hall, Wokha and has since renamed itself six times as Pro-tem Team, RCC, R, Tssocholan, Care Taker, and finally using both Tssocholan and R simultaneously.
Kikon stated that the permission to organise the rally was specifically granted to LBCA(R) by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Wokha ) and not to LBCA which has its Mission Centre at Vankhosüng. He said the permission prohibited the rally to enter the LBCA Mission Centre at Vankhosang.
He pointed out that the DC granted the permission in spite of the August 3, 2023 directive issued by Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench.
Rev.Kikon maintained that organising crowd from one or two churches to gather a massive crowd did not represent the voice of 146 churches under LBCA and wondered “whether such force, lies, exaggerations, etc, could also be termed as Doctrinal Error.”
Kikon also pointed out that LBCA has been exercising maximum restraint by staying away from the print media. He however said LBCA felt the need to issue the statement for public awareness so that the religious virus that was eating the Lotha Baptist churches did not infect other religious organisations of other Naga tribes.