Editor,
I fully endorse the views expressed in the editorial published in one English daily on May 28, 2022. If the idea and suggestions offered by the editor is taken wholeheartedly by the powerful church leaders, much of the evil of corruption in society in general, in high places and in public life, will significantly be reduced, if not rooted out. The real problems arise when they have become abettors and collaborators of corruption perpetrated by politicians or those in authorities like bureaucrats, ministers etc.
It is often noticed that church leaders with or without their members go and hobnobbed with politicians, ministers and bureaucrats for obtaining favours/grants/schemes for schools buildings, school playgrounds, school halls, church halls, church walls, fencing etc and in turn to support them during elections or favour them with kickbacks or quid pro quo. This common practice indulged by them is morally wrong and most detestable. It is a crime and a cardinal sin for church believers if they are true followers of Christ. It is also widely seen and noticed that church leaders are most blatant in supporting candidates from their own church and did their utmost best to canvas their friends, relatives and faithful to ensure their victory.
The Khasi-Jaintia Church Leaders Forum (KJCLF) got fundamentally wrong and off track by convening a meeting of politicians (MLAs) from political parties of Meghalaya asking them to stop the shameful rampant corruption in public places happening in the State. This exercise is bound to yield no results. The Forum has called upon the wrong people for they are only the elected.
The real masters and deciders of democratic form of governments like ours are the voters, the electors at the grassroot levels- the villages, the towns and in Shillong city. It is them who need to be made aware, taught, admonished and addressed repeatedly by the church leaders, religious leaders and civil society leaders who wish to root out corruption in all forms especially in high places and in public life.
It is indeed unashamedly irresponsible and appalling to see that the church authorities and church leaders abdicated their authority to repeatedly, continuously and fiercely fight and campaign against injustices and all forms of corruption, including rampant corruption in public life perpetrated mostly by the politicians and those in government authorities. Jesus Christ would have condemned, chastised and rebuked them just like the scribes and Pharisees of his time if he were still here on earth bodily today, but he now sees everything that is happening here from where he is present.
