Nagaland govt restrains seer from holding 'Gau Dhwaj Yatra'

A prominent seer along with five others who had arrived in Nagaland for the 'Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra' were told to return following restrictions imposed by the Nagaland government.

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati accompanied by five others arrived at Dimapur on Thursday, 26 September, but they had to return, officials said.

Shankaracharya was scheduled to hold the Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra, a movement demanding to declare the cow as the mother of the nation and to enact a central law to stop cow slaughter.

However, on arrival at Dimapur airport, they were prevented from coming out of the airport following an order from the state government, an official said.

"As per the state government order Swami and others were not allowed to step outside the airport," the deputy commissioner (DC) of Chumoukedima district, Polan John, said.

The DC explained to them the decision of the state government not to allow the 'Gau Dhwaj Yatra'- an event to promote a ban on cow slaughter.

"The team, which had arrived at Dimapur airport in a chartered flight around 12:20 pm from Itanagar after facing a similar situation, were initially agitated at not being allowed to meet with the people. But after being briefed about the situation by the state officers, they left for Guwahati around 2:20 pm," the DC said.

The commissioner of police of Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie, in an order, cited apprehension of public order disruptions as the primary reason for the yatra ban.

The prohibition was applied in Dimapur, Chumoukedima, and Niuland districts of the state following directives from the state government and based on provisions contained in Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India, which grants special privileges to the state of Nagaland.

Following steep objections from all corners, the state cabinet on September 11 decided not to grant permission to hold the proposed yatra, which was initially supposed to be held on 28 September in Kohima.

"The cabinet did not grant permission to hold the programme in the interest of maintenance of public order," government spokesperson and minister C.L. John had told the media.