Shankaracharya’s Northeast Dream Turns Sour

After a two-day visit to Sikkim, Jagadguru Shankaracharya along with his entourage arrived at Donyi Polo Airport in Hollongi on Thursday morning via a chartered flight, only to be sent back from the airport following protest from members of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union. He and his entourage met the same fate at Dimapur Airport. It was expected because his proposed visit had triggered stiff opposition in Arunachal Pradesh, while the governments of Nagaland and Mizoram had denied permission to organise the Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra or cow flag installation, seeking to ban cow slaughter and elevate the cow to the status of ‘Rashtra Mata’ or the mother of the nation. In fact, the intention of the visit despite the prohibition order is questionable. It may be noted that the government of Nagaland had denied permission to hold the proposed yatra amid widespread opposition from political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit and several civil society organisations. It cited concerns over potential disturbances to public order as well as the ‘provisions contained in para (1) (a)  of Aticle 371(A) of the Constitution of India, which grants special safeguards to Nagaland, particularly in matters related to religious and social practices’. Besides these special provisions, Nagaland is not part of The Cow Protection Act, 2019, hence there is no restriction on cow slaughter in the state.

For most tribal communities, especially in the north-eastern states like Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, beef has been an integral part of their cuisine. For some, it’s more than just food; it’s part of their culture, celebrations, rituals and more, since time immemorial. There wouldn’t be any objection to Jagadguru Shankaracharya’s visit to some states in the region or it might even go unnoticed had he not declared his intention to intrude into people’s food habits. It may be noted that there are places of worship including mandirs and mosques spread across the northeast, not just churches. People of all faiths live together peacefully in the region – relatively – with no recent instances of religious places being desecrated or people belonging to religious minorities being lynched to death for their faith or food habit. However, anything related to land, culture and traditions can be sensitive to tribal communities, which is evident from past violent incidents. In 2017, the Centre’s notification about the banning of the sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter in markets triggered several states, including Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya, to organise ‘beef festivals’ in protest. Now, think of the possible reaction if somebody enters the kitchen of someone and asks not to eat certain food. Any sensible government will not take chances on such moves that have the potential to disturb public order. Jagadguru Shankaracharya could have taken a cue from public reaction and gracefully withdrawn the proposed visit instead of attempting to defy the government order. Respect for the rule of law is a prerequisite for peace. Respecting each other’s culture and sentiments is vital in pluralistic countries like India.