Shillong, Sept 27: Following stiff opposition from several quarters, the Meghalaya government hold a high-level meeting on Friday and decided to write to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to deny landing of chartered flight of the leader of the cow protection group at Shillong Airport in Umroi on Saturday.
Addressing media persons, Chief Secretary DP Wahlang said, “To ensure there is no escalation of law and order in the state as well as in Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills, we have decided that we will write from the government to the Airport Authority of India to deny them landing facility for their flight tomorrow.”
On Friday, hundreds of members and leaders of prominent pressure groups from the Khasi Hills region including KSU, HYC, HITO among others gathered in front of the Shillong Airport at Umroi in Ri Bhoi District to stage protest against the arrival of the Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra leaders led by Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati for their proposed cow protection rally in Shillong. However, the anti-cow slaughter group did not arrive and postponed their arrival to Saturday due to logistical issues.
“We have received information that there is likelihood of some elements trying to land tomorrow in Umroi airport and also taking a rally in the name of protecting cow and also for ensuring cow slaughter is banned in the country. They have not taken any permission for any rally. They have not taken any permission for staging any sort of protest but we have just received that there is a possibility of chartered flight landing tomorrow in Umroi,” he said.
“We have assessed the situation all round with Ri Bhoi district after consulting the deputy commissioner as well as consulting the district authorities of Shillong, that is the decision we have taken into consideration,” the CS added.
He informed that in Shillong, East Khasi Hills, section 144 which is now section 163 of the BNSS has already been promulgated prohibiting any sort of rally and meetings and likewise Ri Bhoi district is also following on the same pattern.
Wahlang also informed that the government has also had consultation with the central puja committee (CPC), who have made it clear that they are not supporting the cow protection rally.
“They have stated unequivocally that October 2 is a very important day in the puja celebration, it is the starting of their festivity and they don’t subscribe at all as local stakeholders over here to what this rally is all about and they have not rendered any support at all. They are not aware of any rally that is going to take place and they have stated very clearly that they do not support,” he said.
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