Rising People’s Party (RPP) has strongly objected to the recent notification issued by the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) allowing shops and business establishments to open on Sundays after 12 p.m. in view of the upcoming festive season.
In a press release, RPP said Nagaland is a Christian state and every other citizen of India who has made Nagaland their homes are guests of the state. “This fundamental should be understood by the DMC before declaring Sunday as a day of business transaction,” RPP stated.
The party said it was “unbecoming” of the state government to give undue importance to Hornbill Festival while “utterly neglecting the sacrilege” being committed on Sabbath days by its affiliated agencies such as DMC.
RPP expressed bewilderment that the DMC under the garb of the so called ‘Festive Season’ should normalise Sabbath day as any other day of the week.
When none of the ULBs in the other districts have issued such notifications, the party said DMC issuing such order gives the impression that the municipal body has succumbed to pressure. RPP maintained that Sabbath/Christmas was not to be trivialized nor commercialized.
Out of the seven days in a week, it said any citizen should have ample time to exercise their shopping activities during the weekdays. However, RPP said it was unbecoming of the DMC to “blatantly hurt” the sentiments of devout Christians taking advantage of the Christmas season.
Regarding the opening of shops on Sundays, the RPP expressed its view that all the legislators of the different political parties along with the various church organisations should come to a consensus. “It’s imperative that the Christian state of Nagaland take this issue seriously,” the party remarked.
RPP urged the state government including all its affiliate organisations such as the ULBs to understand that despite varied political stance and views “we do not stray from the core principles of Christian ethics and principles.”
Unless the stakeholders take corrective measures now, RPP said that coming generation of Nagas would “end up as ‘Wokes’ or spiritual illiterates”, adding that this could “well spell the end of our culture and identity, including our Christian identity.”