Dimapur, June 8 (EMN): Having proven beyond doubt that unclean elections have been one major sources of corruption in the State, the Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation (DUCCF) and GB’ Union Dimapur (Sadar) resolved to take the clean elections campaign in letter and spirit to the respective colonies at the grass root level based on the coordination meeting on May 19, 2017, at Lotha Hoho Ki.
The decision to this effect was initiated following the past experiences in which the municipal area/ urban colonies always faced with unethical practices in the ULB as well as Assembly and MP elections characterised by floating proxy voters and outside forces as well as proxy groups from within, who might neither have voting rights nor any concern for the development and progress of the colony. It was observed that under such circumstances, the contesting candidates spend huge sum of money thereby depriving in future developments of colonies and resulting in the suffering of genuine residents/voters of the colony.
A press release issued by a joint forum of DUCCF and GBs’ Union felt it pertinent that genuine urban voters strongly resolved in support of the clean election movement and pledged on the clean election principles. It was optimistic that clean election process will safeguard the democratic rights and dignity of genuine voters and restore the true spirit of democracy; ushering in the desired goal of development, progress and peace. It, therefore, urged every colony leaders and public to take upon as a moral obligation and make corrective measures.
DUCCF and GBs’ Union Dimapur called upon all the GBs, chairmen, council members, women and youth leaders and all the colony residents to join hands together and take a concerted effort towards achieving the desired goal. It saod the clean election campaign initiated by the NBCC and churches need the support of every organisation and individuals. It urged the grass root leaders and organisations to come up with its own convenient road map to effectively implement the concept of clean election.
The joint forum of DUCCF & GBs’ Union has laid down common guidelines for all the colonies under urban municipal area to be carried out by all the colonies/ municipal area simultaneously within June.
1. Core group meeting: A Core Group numbering 30-50 members comprising of the colony council members, GBs, women leaders, youth leaders, pastors/ church leaders and intellectuals must be formed. The Core Group should have a meeting and resolve with strong conviction to take forward the clean election movement in the respective colony. The Core Group should also fixed follow up meetings with youth and women group and general meeting of the colony on clean elections within the stipulated period.
The core group will endeavour to check any malpractices in all election process; enrolment, election canvassing and voting.
2. Core Group meeting with youth: The Core Group should apprise young minds about the ills of corruption in the elections which is a major cause for every drawback in the society. The Core Group should motivate all the youth to commit themselves to stand by the clean election movement and take the pledged for their brighter future.
3. Core Group meeting with women/ mothers: The Core Group should apprise the womenfolk about the ills of corruption in the elections which is a major cause of every drawback in the society. All women should commit themselves to stand by the clean elections movement and take the pledged as it is for the better future of their children.
4. General meeting: Every colony should call for a general meeting on clean elections with the participation from every household and pledged to stand by the clean elections movement and thereby eradicate corruptions for peace, progress and development. The meeting should also resolve to discourage any unethical practice during elections; blacklist any resident who violates the clean election norms; and to take severe action against outside/ proxy voters disrupting the harmony of the colony. It desired that every colony should conduct the meeting on clean elections within the month of June.
Meanwhile, DUCCF & GBs’ Union have decided to come up with a pledged sticker (Me & my family pledge on clean election). It will seek the support of all the churches within Dimapur municipal area to fix a Sunday in the month of July/ August and pray for the clean election movement.
The proposed sticker will be blessed and distributed to every household by the respective churches on the designated Sunday. The head of the family, with a prayer, will paste the pledge sticker at the main entrance door of the house as a sign of promise taken by the household for all time to come. It will cover every household within Dimapur urban municipal area under the clean elections movement.
The Joint Forum envisaged that the concept of pledge sticker will be emulated by various youth bodies, NGOs and churches of other districts as well. The Joint Forum also appealed to all councils and GBs of urban areas of other districts to take initiative and implement their own convenient road map on clean election campaign.
The Joint Forum firmly believed that if every individual and households take one small step in the right direction, it will be a giant leap for our State towards better future.
