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DIMAPUR — The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has strongly criticised Nagaland University for issuing a notification, which was later revoked, proposing to designate Good Friday and Easter of this year as working days.
“Though it was revoked, damage has been done,” the NBCC maintained in a statement, noting that it has opened a window of suspicion and the council felt the need to put it on record that it can never allow such a thing to happen on Christian holy days.
While appreciating the cancellation, the NBCC said that “it is nothing short of testing the patience and emotion of the Christian community” and alleged that Christians in the nation are cornered from all angles.
“Churches are demolished, and now Christians cannot even worship peacefully, though we call ourselves a secular country. There is also a move to remove all faith-related symbols from our institutions,” it alleged, adding that Christians are at a crossroads, and if they do not stand guard against the forces that are working against them, they will soon find themselves in a difficult situation.
Saying that these days were designated as working days on the pretext of being the financial year, the NBCC claimed that it has been observed lately that the underlying motive is to disregard the sentiments of Christians.
Further, it said that a lack of sensitivity and dominant mentality has hurt not only the Christian community but also other religious and social minorities in the country. The statement noted that Christian society has been accommodating to other religious festivals and celebrations out of respect and expects the same from other religious communities too.
“Good Friday will be Good Friday for us. Resurrection Sunday will be Resurrection Sunday for us. Christmas Day will be Christmas for us. No matter on which day it falls,” read the statement, adding that Sundays will be Sundays for Christians.