Shillong, Sept 16: VPP MP Ricky AJ Syngkon, who is also the general secretary of VPP, has urged the goverment to deny permission for the Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra in the city.
In a letter to the chief minister on Monday, the VPP leader said while the party fully supports and upholds the principle of freedom of religion, which is enshrined in our Constitution, “we are deeply troubled by the potential implications that such an event could have on the communal harmony of our state”.
The VPP said it believes that the freedom to practice one’s faith is a fundamental right; however, if the practice of that freedom disturbs others or attempts to impose beliefs regarding what people should eat, how they should live, or what they should believe in, then such activities threaten the very fabric of our society. Meghalaya is a state known for its diversity, peace, and mutual respect across communities. Any event that may cause unrest or provoke tensions among different communities should be approached with extreme caution”, he said.
The VPP leader said it is concerned that this proposed Yatra could lead to division and disrupt the peaceful coexistence of communities in Meghalaya. “The social and cultural diversity of our state must be respected, and we cannot allow events that may seek to undermine or challenge this balance. Such actions have the potential to create misunderstanding and resentment, which may eventually lead to communal disharmony. Given the sensitive nature of our state’s social fabric, we strongly urge the government not to allow the Yatra to take place. The safety, peace, and unity of the people of Meghalaya must be the government’s top priority, and any event that threatens to disrupt these values should not be permitted”, he added.
Earlier on September 13, the HYC too petitioned the chief minister regarding the matter.
The HYC said the purpose of ‘Gau Pratishtha Andolan: Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra in Shillong on October 2 is to call upon the Centre to ban ‘cow slaughter’ or ‘beef consumption’ across India and to declare the ‘cow’ as a “Rashtra Mata”.
According to HYC, beef consumption is a way of life of the majority of people in state besides giving economic benefits to thousands of people involved in the supply and selling of meat in the state.
“While, we do not impose on others on what to eat and what not to eat, we are against anyone or any authority or group imposing their eating habits or belief system on us”, the HYC said.
Further, ‘mothers’ have a rightful place in our society as the Hynniewtrep people and to compare them with cows or dogs is a taboo in our society. Therefore, we are totally against the movement and objective of any group to dictate us to refer to the cows as our mothers, the HYC said.
The proposed event by the group/persons is nothing but an attempt to incite communal problems between different communities and faiths in state, which have been living in harmony till date, the HYC said.
The HYC wanted the government to disallow the rally in the interest of public peace and harmony.
