Critical Evaluation of the State-Church Interface in Mizoram

As Christians constitute 87 per cent of the population of Mizoram as per the 2011 census, important machinery of the state is manned by church members only. Therefore, the interface between the state and the church is essential to be negotiated well to maintain social order and tranquillity.

Opinions have often been expressed by intellectuals from different backgrounds, namely academicians, journalists, freelancers, social reformers, etc. with regard to utilisation of government properties, such as vehicles, halls, building, and other resources without payment by different church denominational groups in their respective church programmes. But it is learnt from government sources that issues are different. The church and the state government help each other in their programmes on payment.⁶ In this regard, there is no misuse of government properties or resources by any church denominational groups in Mizoram (Doungel 2021:50-51).

The issue of liquor locally known as ‘Zu’ is one of the most complex political issues in Mizoram. The reason being, political parties have won and lost election upon the issue of liquor. The MNF Government led by Laldenga enforced a liquor policy after its enactment by the State Legislative Assembly which legalised the use of liquor in 1988, but it was fought tooth and nail by the church. The biggest denominational church in Mizoram, the Presbyterian Church of Mizoram (PCM) requested the then Chief Minister, Lal Thanhawla to enforce total prohibition in the state in May, 1988; but it was not fulfilled. The MNF Government was defeated in the mid-term poll election of 1989 and the Indian National Congress (INC) led by Lal Thanhawla formed the government. The Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition (MLTP) Act, 1995 was enacted during the INC rule which was effective since 1997 (Hnamte 2014:xv & 96).

The INC Government led by Lal Thanhawla which enacted the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition (MLTP) Act, 1995 enacted the Mizoram Liquor Prohibition and Control Act in 2014 which became effective from January 2015.

The Mizoram Liquor Prohibition and Control Act legally allowed the sale and consumption of liquor within the ambit of law. However, it was vehemently opposed by the church again as with the then MNF Government in 1988. In fact, the enactment of the Mizoram Liquor Prohibition and Control (MLPC) Act, 2014 was a suicidal game for the INC which automatically led to its electoral defeat in the eighth State Legislative Assembly election which was held in November 2018. The church stiffly opposed it and the Mizo National Front (MNF) and Zoram People Movement (ZPM) campaigned on liquor prohibition that liquor would be totally prohibited if they could form government (Lalremsiami & Lalhmanmawia 2021:36). A Review and Evaluation Committee was constituted by Mizoram Government to study upon the impact of the MLPC Act and a study group was set up under the Chiarmanship of Dominic Lalhmangiaha as Chairman to specifically analyse and evaluate the socio-economic impact of the MLPC Act, 2014 with effect from April 2016 to April 2017. The research findings of the study group revealed that revenue profits received by the state government during the specific period from ware houses and vendors was Rs. 23.52 crores. The report also highlighted that income generated from the sale of liquor, which was estimated at Rs. 28 crores, benefitted only government liquor vendors and commercial sex workers. The report also highlighted that during the year 2016-2017, there was a rise in alcohol related vehicle accidents, rise of criminal cases, medical expenses on accidents and illness, andf 431 out of 2734 deaths were related to alcohol consumption. Out of 25 commercial sex workers who were interviewed by the study group, 61 per cent of them stated that their clients increased after the opening of liquor shops. The study group also estimated that the cost of vehicle accidents due to drunken driving was Rs. 16 lakhs; but as this was only from the survey within Aizawl city, it might increase had a survey been done for the whole state (The Hill Times 2018).

The critics alleged that the church interfered too much and crossed its limit in its opposition to the liquor policy of the MNF Government in 1988 and in the liquor policy of the Congress Government in 2018. However, the church justifies its standpoint vividly and states that it cannot accept anything which is described by the Holy Bible as uncleaned and declined to accept it in future too. The church further clarifies that it wants all born-again Christians to refrain from liquor and it will fight against any lenient policy of the government on liquor. Therefore, the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitu Committee (MKHC 2014a)⁷ issued a press release on 7 July 2014 and stated its displeasure against the initiative of the Indian National Congress (INC) government led by Lal Thanhawla for the steps which it had taken at that time for the modification of the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 2015. The press release also further highlighted that permission for sale of liquor is against the teaching of the Bible, so, the church declined to accept it and warned stiff opposition (MKHC 2014b). The MKHC also issued a press release on 17 June 2015 and stated its displeasure for circular of the Government of India for celebration of Yoga day on 21 June 2015 which fell on a Sunday which happened to be worship service day of the Christians and urged the church members not to participate in the Yoga celebration (MKHC 2015). The MKHC again issued another press release on 6 June 2016 and urged the church members to refrain from Yoga because it is purely based upon Hindu philosophy. Over and above that, the encouragement of Yoga is a step for assimilation of minority religious communities; therefore, church members should not be involved in any way, the release further added (MKHC 2016). Thus, the different church denominational groups under the initiative of MKHC fight tooth and nail against liquor and Yoga in all aspects. It should also be recollected that the said two parties which adopted liquor policy during their rule against the wishes of the church were defeated in the state Legislative Assembly election of 1988 and 2018 respectively. It is really regrettable to admit that some political leaders openly spoke against church leaders in press conferences which was really unwanted, unnecessary, and uncalled for.

In fact, it was a suicidal step for politicians and their political party to openly criticise church leaders for the steps; they have taken to preserve and protect the Biblical teachings and ethics.

The critics also alleged that the church regularly excommunicates adultery; marriage not solemnised by Pastor, drunkards as per the guidelines of the church in line with the Biblical teachings, but it never excommunicates corrupt officers and corrupt politicians who are also church members. It should also be noted that excommunication of church members due to corruption issues has not yet been done by any church in Mizoram and even churches outside Mizoram. The church is not interested in taking outright action against its members but it wants to guide its members in the right spiritual path. Even church members who are excommunicated due to different reasons have been guided to live the right spiritual life as per the Biblical teachings. Thus, the church is not interested in taking drastic action against its members but it is interested in giving the right spiritual guidance to its members through spiritual counselling and guidance. Leaders of the local church usually visit the excommunicated church members, interact with them, give biblical teachings, pray for them, and encourage them to participate in the various church programmes as far as practicable. It should also be recollected that a comment given by leaders of the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitu Committee (MKHC) with regard to disqualification of Pu Lalduhawma as MLA by Speaker of Mizoram Legislative Assembly in 2020 was regarded by many church members as unnecessary. The MKHC leaders appealed for maintenance of peace and tranquillity and urged the political leaders not to further problematise the issue. In fact, it would be better for the MKHC not to interfere in such a controversial political issue of the state as church leaders (Doungel 2021:52-53).

Hue and cry has been raised few years ago with regard to the involvement of pastors and church leaders in active politics as well as their engagement in some official works of the state government.

Involvement of pastors in active politics and in official work of the government at the cost of pastoral ministry cannot be out rightly commented as right or wrong but the involved pastors or person concerned should ponder over its conformity with the calling of the Living God. In this regard Rev JJM Nichols Roy should be briefly reflected. Rev JJM Nichols Roy was a pastor in the Church of God and he was also a great social reformer. By dint of his guidance to people to engage in orange farming which improved the economic status of many families of the Khasi Hills and his concern for socio-economic development, he was requested by the people to contest the election for Member of Assam Provincial Legislative Council, but he replied that he would first pray to God and take decision as per His (God’s) guidance. He also made one condition that he would agree to become Member of the Provincial Legislative Council if he could combine it with his pastoral ministry. Later when he became Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) after independence of India, he stuck to the same condition of combining his political status with pastoral ministry. He was Member of Assam Provincial Legislature and later an MLA⁸ from Khasi Hills in Assam Legislative Assembly for 38 consecutive years from 1921 till his death on 1 November 1959 and was Cabinet Minister four times both under Muhammad Saduallah and Gopinath Bordoloi. He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly and Member of the North East Frontier (Assam) Tribal and Excluded Area subcommittee, also known as Bordoloi sub-committee. Rev JJM Nichols Roy carried on with his pastoral ministry even when he was MLA and Cabinet Minister, and he plunged into public service because of the call of the people (Kyndiah 1993:48-52). Therefore, if pastors at present are receiving demand from the public to become involved in politics and administration, they have to ponder whether it is at the cost of sacrificing prestige of pastoral value or not.

This is a problematic area in Mizoram. While Rev JJM Nichols Roy’s example holds a possibility, there are also oppositions. Several church members hold the firm view that pastors are theologically trained to guide the church members spiritually and to render the service of God from church platform, but not for political activities and official work of the government.⁹

A new trend has been noticed when temporal leaders like MLA, MP, etc. are accorded higher status in church programmes than the church leaders. One critical question which is often raised in this regard is why a temporal leader is given higher recognition in spiritual matters? Some church denominational groups are criticised for giving too much recognition and significance to earthly VIPs, such as Minister, MLA, Chief Executive Member (CEM), Chairman, Executive Member (EM) of Autonomous District Council (ADC), and Member of District Council (MDC) than pastors, Missionaries, and Evangelists in church programmes and conferences. Likewise, some church associations, such as Lairam Isua Krista Baptist Kohhran (LIKBK) usually invite Minister, MLA, CEM, and Chairman as Observers in Church Assembly which is often contested by many church members whether it is appropriate to offer such important responsibility to political leaders in the church programme. It is also often questioned whether it is necessary to engage Chief Minister, Minister, and MLA to inaugurate some church related programmes which has been done by some church associations. Is it not more appropriate and more dignified for a pastor to inaugurate church related programmes with prayer than inviting Chief Minister or Minster to inaugurate with earthly VIP culture. Therefore, it is argued that the church should exercise its spiritual duties sparingly, and not unnecessarily engage temporal leaders in its affairs (Doungel 2021:54).

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Source: Behera Maguni C. (ed.). The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Readings on Tribe and Religions in India: Emerging Negotiations. Routledge,2024. — 502 p.. 2024

Critical Evaluation of the State-Church Interface in Mizoram

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