NSCW, NBCC denounce pre-poll violence

Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) and Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) have expressed deep shock and condemned violence in the run up to the assembly polls.
NSCW expressed dismay at the reports of the brutal assault on three women at a village in Mokokchung’s Tuli A/C by some youth numbering six/seven on February 17 night for allegedly supporting a candidate not endorsed by the village.
While condemning such acts of election-related violence, the commission urged upon the authorities to punish the guilty as per the law. It further demanded appropriate treatment for the injured women and compensation by the relevant state authorities and Election Commission. 
Meanwhile, NSCW lauded the bravery of all women candidates and workers for expressing their independent choices in the democratic process under such trying times and wished them success.
NBCC: NBCC through its clean election convener, Rev. Dr. Mar Atsongchanger condemned the assassination bid against intending candidates both in Mokokchung and Wokha. He said such violence posed a serious threat to the legitimacy of state elections.  NBCC called upon all political parties, police/government for utmost vigilance and to ensure that political tensions were kept in check.
Meanwhile, the council has appealed to all concern to maintain calm and work together to prevent further escalation of violence. 
It also called upon all believers to uphold the candidates in their prayers for God’s protection and a fair and just electoral process.
NBCC has also made a clarion call to all to exercise their franchise with Christian principles.
Rev. Atsongchanger advised the candidates neither to buttress the voters by money power nor to threaten by development.
He said Churches in Nagaland, spearheaded NBCC, had been sensitising among its members the principles of clean election for the last few decades, knowing that, all the corruptions in the government systems were the consequence of corrupt practices being involved in the system of electioneering.
Therefore, NBCC urged Christians in Nagaland to elect good leaders, who were God-fearing, well-cultured, well-educated having ability to lead the people towards a free-corruption state and exercise one’s voting right with Christian principles and commitment for a better Nagaland.
Emphasizing on the slogan ‘Nagaland for Christ’, NBCC said that it was “a time to choose our future with Christian and Naga identity” and encouraged all to have allegiance towards one’s faith, rather than by going with any communal party
NBCC said the slogan should neither be misused nor be used for the benefits of any political party and individuals.