Church cautions voters against cash lure

SHILLONG: The general assembly of the Presbyterian Church of India has reminded voters of the state as well as Nagaland not to fall prey to clandestine and covert monetary distributions and that people should not be intimidated or coerced into voting for any particular candidate or political party.
In a statement issued here, the administrative secretary in charge of communications GS Lyttan said, “It is your privilege and responsibility to cast your vote without fear, without intimidation and without enticement.”
He added that taking part in periodical elections to Parliament, state assemblies, district, autonomous and village councils is important in a democracy as the electorates are sending legislators to make laws and policies on behalf of the people.
Pointing to Christianity in India, Lyttan referred to the annual report of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) for 2017 entitled ‘Hate and targeted violence against Christians in India’ which stated that the year 2017 has been the most traumatic for the Christian community in India.
He added that the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India documented at least 350 cases in 2017 which were based on voluntary reporting and civil society investigations while most cases are still unreported.
According to him, the governments have turned a blind eye to the atrocities while the center shrugs off its responsibility by classifying such activities as ‘law and order issues’ which fall within the gambit of the state governments.