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BJP accuses churches of fanning religious sentiments

By Correspondent

DIMAPUR, March 12 - A BJP district unit in Nagaland has raised questions about the credibility of the church in the State, alleging that the church has fuelled and instigated religious hatred during the election campaign at Chizami constituency.

�We are shocked that the church blatantly misused the holy church pulpit and went to the extent of showing fake videos about alleged atrocities on Christians by Hindu extremists. These videos were later confirmed to be untrue and purely based on propaganda. The church should confirm sources before resorting to such acts,� BJP Phek district president Nucutso C Ruho alleged in a release.

Phek BJP unit also alleged that under the garb of prayer groups, many churches in the district carried out campaigns against the party and even resorted to door-to-door visits, asking gullible villagers not to vote for the BJP as it would lead to �loss of salvation� for them or removal from church membership.

While stating that it stands for NBCC�s Clean Election Campaign (CEC), BJP alleged that NBCC campaign asked people not to vote for BJP. �It has been widely seen that church workers, deacons and deaconesses even indulged in proxy voting and negotiated for favours from political parties. Churches all over the State should seriously identify their people guilty of malpractices during the elections and excommunicate them to prove their sincerity,� it said.

Asking the churches to stop playing politics, BJP Phek unit reminded ordained ministers and pastors� that they are being supported by their members. �It is therefore in the best interest of all that the church does not take sides in politics and belittle itself. Those who have been engaged in spreading false propaganda should resign on moral grounds to save the sanctity and integrity of the church.�

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