Alemtemshi Jamir, IAS (Retd), former chief secretary of Nagaland, has opined that it has become imperative for all to talk about religion in the ongoing General Elections 2024 as a political party, especially the BJP, through its parent body the RSS, has an avowed policy to make India a Hindu Rashtra (nation).
Jamir said this in response to a question from Nagaland Tribune on his views on the widespread and unrestrained use of religion in the ongoing elections by politicians and political parties.
He said that as an Ao, he is strongly committed to Democracy “by nature”. He stated, “… Nagas, as a small minority group of people, cannot exist if India did not provide a Democracy that is Socialist and Secular as the basic preamble of the Constitution.”
Secularism means to be tolerant of all religions and to pursue your religion as deem fit, Jamir explained, adding that secularism does not provide any room for Government to interfere in any religion. It therefore, means that no political party, trying to form a Government through an election, can use religion as a platform for such an election, he elaborated.
In the context of the ongoing election, Jamir viewed that when the BJP has the agenda to make India a Hindu nation, as against the principle of secularism enshrined in the Constitution, the members of all other religions have no option but to react. That is why, somehow, in the present election talking of religion has become imperatives for all, he said.
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when asked about his take of Eastern Nagaland’s abstention from voting on 19th April 2024, Jamir said, “Eastern Nagaland feels like a comedy of errors! They want Statehood because there is no development but they are not willing to participate in a process by which they can elect a person who can bring development.”
Further, he opined that he has a feeling that “after the election, the Centre and also the State Government will show less and less interest while they will agitate more and more. It could end up in violence, which will be a pity.”
