Newmai News Network
Dimapur: Rising People’s Party (RPP), a political party based in Nagaland, has taken strong exception to the announcement of the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) that “all business establishments and shops under its jurisdiction will be permitted to remain open on Sundays after 12 pm during the upcoming festive season.” The DMC also said this measure, aimed at supporting local businesses and accommodating the expected increase in shopper activity, will be in effect immediately. The DMC further stated that the decision allows shops to extend their operating hours on Sundays in response to the seasonal demand.
Reacting to this announcement, RPP said today that Nagaland is a Christian state. “And every other citizen of India who has made Nagaland their homes are guests of this state. This fundamental should be understood by the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) before declaring Sunday as a day of business transaction,” RPP said in a statement.
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The party then said that it is unbecoming of the state government of Nagaland to give undue importance to Hornbill Festival “while utterly neglecting the sacrilege being committed on Sabbath days by its affiliated agencies such as the DMC.”
The RPP statement then said, “It befuddles the RPP that under the garb of the so called ‘Festive Season’ the DMC should normalise Sabbath day as any other day of the week.” RPP also said that when none of the ULBs in the other districts have issued such notifications, the DMC issuing such notices gives the impression that the municipal body has succumbed to pressure.
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Sabbath/Christmas is not to be trivialized nor commercialized, RPP asserted. Out of the seven days in a week, any citizen should have ample time to exercise their shopping activities during the weekdays and it’s unbecoming of the DMC to blatantly hurt the sentiments of devout Christians taking advantage of the Christmas season, the RPP statement added.
Regarding the opening of shops on Sundays, RPP said it is of the view that all the legislators of the different political parties along with the various church organisations should come to a consensus. “It is imperative that the Christian state of Nagaland take this issue seriously. The government of the day including all its affiliate organisations such as the ULBs should understand that despite our varied political stance and views we do not stray from the core principles of Christian ethics and principles,” the statement also said.
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It added by saying, “Unless we the stakeholders take corrective measures now, the coming generation of Nagas will end up as ‘Wokes’ or spiritual illiterates and this may well spell the end of our culture and identity, including our Christian identity.”
(This is not a Ukhrul Times publication. UT is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any reports or views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of Ukhrul Times.)
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