DIMAPUR, May 13 (MExN): The Phom Baptist Christian Association (PBCA) has joined other organisations in opposing the State Government’s recent notification concerning the implementation of provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act relating to the display of signages, stickers, and identifiers on vehicles belonging to churches and other institutions.
In a statement, the Association said the distinction between the State and the Church is a foundational principle of modern democracy and secular governance, intended to ensure that governmental institutions and religious bodies function within their respective spheres without undue interference or control over one another.
Describing the separation of Church and State as a balanced relationship, the PBCA said such a framework safeguards individual freedoms, promotes equality, and enables diverse religious communities and civil institutions to carry out their responsibilities while coexisting within a democratic system.
In this context, the Association maintained that the display of church- or NGO-related slogans, signages, stickers, and institutional identifiers on vehicles should not be viewed as self-promotion or a quest for recognition, but rather as a legitimate and transparent means of identification.
It further argued that religious institutions and non-governmental organisations have historically played a significant role in serving communities, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting their spirit of cooperation with the government during times of crisis.
The PBCA stated that churches in Nagaland are deeply intertwined with the State’s social, cultural, and public life, and asserted that church-related travel, outreach programmes, and spiritual activities form an integral part of their responsibilities.
Against this backdrop, the Association questioned both the applicability and intent of the directive issued under the Motor Vehicles Act by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, terming it “suspicious.”
Alleging that the move reflected high-handedness and an attempt to suppress civil rights and religious liberty, the PBCA claimed it amounted to a “new form of persecution by the central government, carried out through the state machinery.”
Today, the ban is on church vehicles’ signage; tomorrow, it may extend to church buildings’ signage,” it stated.
The Association also referred to Article 371A, stating that Nagaland’s special constitutional safeguards are intended to protect the collective rights, customs, and interests of its people.
Accordingly, the PBCA appealed to the concerned authorities to reconsider the implementation of the provisions, while asserting that laws should be framed and enforced in a manner that protects citizens’ rights and promotes public welfare.
