Election fever is rising high in the poll-bound State of Mizoram with top leaders joining the campaign. BJP President Amit Shah addressed rallies in Lawngtlai and Vairengte in Mizoram. He promised to make Mizoram secular and peaceful where all sections of society will develop.
Shah promised to give more power to Autonomous District Council (ADC) in the Sixth Schedule of the constitution. “When people of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh can bring progressive BJP Government why can’t Mizoram also be part of the BJP family. BJP government has put an end to the era of bandh and blockade and controlled armed groups in different states,” said Shah.
Shah said that Tourism potential of Mizoram could not be utilised due to lack of road connectivity. He attacked Congress for playing with the emotions of people of Mizoram and for bringing the ‘Vote for money’ culture in the State.
Meanwhile, the Mizoram Church has taken an anti-BJP stand urging the congregation to abstain from voting for the BJP. The Church has issued a guidelines booklet asking the voters to keep the interests of the community in mind while casting their vote. Earlier, the Nagaland Church had also taken a similar stand before Nagaland elections about nine months ago. The Mizoram Church has questioned BJP’s decision of observing Christmas Day as the Good Governance Day. The Church feels that if BJP is voted to power the religious freedom will be under threat and the interests of Christians will be ignored. The comments from the Church came despite Amit Shah’s assurance of making the State secular and peaceful. The Church’s attempt to influence the voters by creating a fear psychosis appears to expose its communal agenda.
The church plays an important and influential role in Mizoram politics. Earlier, Mission for Christ had expelled one of its full-time missionary for joining BJP to contest the assembly elections.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi also attacked BJP while addressing an election rally in Champhai. Gandhi said that the BJP has an understanding with the Mizo National Front. He accused the BJP of trying to enter Mizoram with the help of regional party Mizo National Front (MNF). “In Mizoram, MNF has opened the door for RSS to enter the state. It is sad that the MNF is helping these people who are attempting to destroy the culture, language and religion of Mizoram,” claimed Gandhi. He said that the Congress will protect the history, idea and culture of Mizoram.
“BJP and RSS want to impose only one ideology. They know that they cannot come to power in Mizoram or India next time, so they are putting RSS people in the institutions like RBI, CBI and Election commission. The idea is even if they lose election they will have people in these institutions,” said the Congress President.
Mizoram goes to poll on Nov 28 for its 40 Assembly seats.
