Dimapur, Dec. 8 (EMN): The Nagaland Joint Christian Forum has objected to the state government’s decision to conduct departmental recruitment exams on two Sundays, Dec. 9 and Dec. 16.
In a statement, the forum appealed the chief secretary to reschedule the exams for Social Welfare, and Taxes department. “If the exams are fixed by the central government, the Nagaland government can give good excuse on the ground that it is out of the state’s control. But knowing full well that Sundays are worshipping days for Christians, the dates fixed are intentionally done to violate the religious rights of the candidates and defile the sanctity of Sunday as working day.
“…the church has voiced out earlier to keep Sundays holy and sacred at all cost and for the government to knowingly fix the two exams on Sundays is unacceptable and it has hurt the sentiment of the church,” the statement read.
In a separate statement, the Angami Baptist Church Council on Saturday said that its facility, especially Baptist High, should not be approached to conduct recruitment exams and the likes on Sundays.
“This is in compliance to the concern raised by Nagaland Joint Christian Forum (NJCF) that Sundays should be kept holy, sacred and free from entertaining activities which can be done on other weekdays. The ABCC is concerned that the sanctity of Sundays is being defiled in many forms, and that it will support any movement to reclaim and make Sunday a God-honouring day,” it stated.
