SHILLONG: The Catholic Church in the North East has asked voters not to sell their votes for money or material gain.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls starting on April 11, in a statement issued on Thursday, Archbishop Dominic Jala, president, North East India Regional Bishops’ Council (NEIRBC), said voters should also avoid proxy voting, exerting force, using fraud or wrongful inducement for voting for a particular candidate as they are acts contrary to Christian values and principles.
“We pray that as we join hands with all people of good will, we can really contribute to shaping the future of our nation and we would like to reiterate what the president of the Bishops’ Conference of India has stated: The Catholic Church does not identify herself with or side with any political party,” the Archbishop said. Jala said though India is acknowledged as a fast-growing economy, some concerns like the growing gap between the rich and the poor cannot be ignored.
Other concerns of the church are that many unorganised and casual labourers are barely able to survive with what they earn.
“Farmers and those in agricultural section are under serious stress. Further, ethics is losing primacy as the guiding principle of society. Economics seems to be the driving force behind many decisions. Corruption at all levels becomes the order of the day. India is a spiritual nation and yet God is slowly being pushed to the periphery. We are called to rise above the many dividing walls, especially religions, cultures, castes,” the council said.
While asking the faithful to exercise their franchise, the Archbishop said voting at every election is a sacred obligation and a right of every citizen above the age of 18.
The Council also called upon the parish priests to impress upon people the important obligation which is the contribution to building up the country.
“At the same time, as has already been done in many places, we urge every community to spend time in prayer for our country so that we may have leaders who will make our country a place where truth, justice and peace will flourish,” Jala said.
He also said the leaders from North East should work unitedly to bring the concerns of the region before the national government so that “we may also share equitably in the all-round development of our country”.
