VHP criticises Lyngdoh again

GUWAHATI: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) J M Lyngdoh has come under fire from the VHP once again.
The outfit''s international general secretary Praveen Tagodia on Saturday attacked him for not reacting to the Church issuing guidelines to voters and political parties in Meghalaya and Nagaland.
Togadia was speaking to mediapersons while on a three-day tour of the state.
He said the VHP had come under attack in Gujarat for merely advising voters while in these states, as well as Chhattisgarh, the CEC remained silent even as the Church intervened directly in the electoral process by asking voters to support a particular party. He pointed out that the church issuing a guideline to voters in a secular state amounted to theocracy.
He said any directive issued by any organisation other than the Election Commission amounted to a direct interference with the electoral process and it was the Election Commission''s duty to put an end to all such practices.
The Church had asked people to vote for candidates who are "God fearing, guided by values, committed to work for the development of the state and promote fundamental rights of all".
Secretay general of the Council of Naga Baptist Churches Rev. V K Nuh denied the allegation and said they had only issued 15 guidelines to the people of Nagaland to help the Election Commission conduct a free and fair election.
"We all know that EC guidelines are not followed. We are only trying to help in enforcing them and give some directives from our side which is in tune with the tradition and culture of Naga society," he said.