Kohima: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Imkong L Imchen, on Wednesday criticised the Nagaland BJP unit’s recent decision to conduct cleanliness drives within church compounds across various districts. Imchen labeled the decision as ‘stupid’.
The advisor to the department of Information & Public Relations, Soil and water conservation, said that the party should have consulted the churches before taking such a decision.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, Imchen said that undertaking cleaning activities on someone else’s property without prior consent could potentially lead to legal repercussions, akin to house trespassing under criminal law.
As a political party, he said that the BJP is “not supposed, nor expected to take a stupid decision”, adding that it is “unwarranted”.
Citing the recent Lok Sabha election in the state, he said that although the BJP did not contest the lone Lok Sabha seat, its support to the NDPP attracted attack by Christians over atrocities taking place across India.
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Under such a situation, he said that the party’s decision to clean the compounds of various churches undermines the sanctity of the churches.
When asked about his contradictory views with the party, he said that he dared to speak because of his identity as a Naga and as a Christian.
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