HT Correspondent
DIMAPUR, Sept 27: Following opposition from various
organisations, the Nagaland government has decided to carry
out the nationwide cleanliness drive across the state on
September 30 (Saturday) instead of the designated date of
October 1 on account of the day falling on a Sunday.
In an office memorandum on Wednesday, the state home
department said the respective deputy commissioners have
been designated as the nodal officers for planning, taking
measures as necessary, and coordinating with all the urban
local body administrators for the urban areas and all the block
development officers for the rural areas, and district officers of
other departments/agencies as may be required, for ensuring
successful execution of all the activities in regard to the
cleanliness drive in the districts in line with the instructions
from the government of India.
At the state level, the nodal officer for overall coordination of
the entire cleanliness drive will be the commissioner, Nagaland.
Various organisations, including the Nagaland Baptist Church
Council, NSCN (IM), Naga Students Federation (NSF) and the
Nagaland Theological Colleges Association (NTCA), voiced
opposition to the call for the nationwide cleanliness drive by
Prime Minster Narendra Modi on a Sunday.
The NBCC said Sunday is not just a holiday but it is a day of
worship for the Christians. It added that since October 1 falls
on a day of worship for Christians, it will sacrifice another day
to “show our cooperation and solidarity to the nation”.
Terming the call for the cleanliness drive on a Sunday as playing
with the Naga people’s religious ethos, the NSCN (IM) said the
Nagas as Christians cannot simply abide by the call of the Prime
Minister no matter how noble the cause is.
The NSF said PM Modi’s call for a collective cleanliness drive on
Sunday has raised concerns among the Christians in India and
beyond.
It said this call for a nationwide event on a Sunday is deeply
insensitive to the religious sentiments of the Christian
community and out rightly detrimental to the very essence of
secularism.
The NTCA said scheduling of this national event on a Sunday
inadvertently clashes with the holy day for millions of Christians
across the country.
