Mizoram polls: The politics of religion is on the wall,in posters

One of the MNF’s main poll planks this election is based on exploiting sentiments of the largely Christian Mizos against four-time Congress Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla,who has on several occasions taken part in pujas while visiting other states,sporting a tilak on his forehead at one ceremony he attended with his wife.

The MNF began work on the strategy months ago,even taking out a massive rally in Aizawl to protest the CM’s “bowing before other gods” and has since not missed any opportunity to take potshots at the CM,constantly exploiting the Christian belief that idol-worship is unacceptable.

Lal Thanhawla,who teaches at Bible classes each Sunday during church services in his home neighbourhood of Zarkawt oin Aizawl,unwittingly fed himself to the cannon by telling a TV talk show host that even Christian pastors sport tilaks when they go outside the state. Church leaders,whom politicians take care to have on their side,especially ahead of polls,were outraged,publicly condemning the CM’s statement.

Sensing the mood,the MNF,while announcing its second and final list of candidates for the November 25 polls a week ago,distributed brochures carrying photographs of the CM and his wife attending Hindu ceremonies,including lighting a lamp in front of an idol of Durga,cracking open coconuts at a ceremony and the CM’s mugshot with a tilak on his forehead.

“We are not condemning the CM following another religion,it is his right. But he must keep in mind that it is because the leader of this land has committed a sin against God that the land has seen many tragic incidents. As the Bible says,the sins of the leader will lead to tragedies for the land,” the brochure reads,subtly referring to the natural disasters that have hit the state over the past few years.

Not to be outdone,the Congress has put up a poster of the MNF’s founder-president the late Laldenga attending a ceremony in a gurdwara.

“We care not saying Laldenga worshipped the Sikh religion. All we are saying is that Sikhs must have been enamoured of and affectionate towards him and we are happy that was the case,” a poster on a west wall of Congress Bhavan says,carrying black-and-white pictures of Laldenga,the rebel leader-turned-politician who gave his party a slogan it uses to this day — “For God and our land”.