After Nagaland & Arunachal, holding ‘Gau Dhwaj Yatra’ in Meghalaya remains uncertain

SHILLONG/KOHIMA — After Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, holding of ‘Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra’ remains uncertain in Meghalaya as the District Magistrate, East Khasi Hills district promulgated prohibitory orders under Section 163 BNSS banning assembly of five or more people in the district.

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati earlier announced to holding of the ‘Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra’ in different northeastern states demanding to declare the cow as the mother of the nation and to enact a central law to stop cow slaughter.

But the ‘Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra’ is facing stiff opposition from different organisations in several states of the region.

Nagaland and Meghalaya are Christian-majority states while beef is one of the most common and popular meats consumed by people in several northeastern states.

The District Magistrate of the East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya state capital Shillong falls in the district, in her order said that it has come to the notice of the administration that some organisations are planning to organise a Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra in Shillong though the organisers did not seek for permission for carrying out of the Yatra.

“…..such Rally may lead to breaking down of law and order in the city of Shillong and the District of East Khasi Hills,…..and with the aim to prevent any group from taking out a procession/rally which may disrupt public order, do hereby prohibit the assembly of five or more people for the purpose of any rally or procession within the whole Shillong City limits, including the Shillong Urban agglomeration area,” DM R. M. Kurhah in her order said.

She said: “Any violation of the said order would attract penal provisions under Section 223 of the BNS, and any other as deemed fit and appropriate.”

Jagadguru Shankaracharya accompanied by his entourage was supposed to arrive at Shillong airport on Friday, but the Hindu Seer was likely to land at the airport on Saturday by chartered flight.

Spokesperson of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Maharaj, Shailendra Yogiraj Sarkar said that he (Jagadguru Shankaracharya) would install the cow flag on Saturday under the Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra demanding to declare cow as the mother of the nation and to enact a central law to stop cow slaughter.

Earlier on Friday, hundreds of protestors from various organisations including the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), gathered outside the Shillong airport at Umroi to prevent the Seer and his entourage from moving out of the airport.

District authorities of Ri-Bhoi deployed additional security forces at the airport to prevent any untoward incident.

Airport Authority of India officials said that people protested peacefully outside the airport and then dispersed.

The activists of the pressure groups announced that they would not allow the Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra to be held in Meghalaya.

To ensure there is no escalation of law and order in the state as well as in Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills district, the Meghalaya government reportedly requested the Airport Authority of India to deny the landing facility of the flight of Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati was turned back from the airports in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland on Thursday after he arrived at the two airports by chartered flight.

The spiritual leader, who arrived at Donyi Polo Airport in Hollongi in Arunachal Pradesh faced opposition from members of the All–Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU).

Saraswati, who was scheduled to address the ‘Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra’ in Kohima on September 28, had to return back from Dimapur airport on Thursday without fulfilling his planned programme as he was barred from coming out from the airport by authorities.

The Nagaland government on September 11 announced that it would not allow the holding of ‘Gau Mahasabha’ and Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra in Kohima on September 28.

Leaders of various civil societies observed that beef has been part of the popular Naga cuisine for many decades and the government and any other organisation cannot harm the sentiment of the people and the state’s traditions.

The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), its allies BJP and Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF), and various civil society organisations including the influential Naga Mothers’ Association and Naga Students’ Federation strongly opposed the holding of the ‘Gau Mahasabha’.

Also read: Nagaland authorities prevent ‘Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra’ from entering state