Guwahati: The proposed Gau Dhwaj Yatra, scheduled for October 2 in Shillong, has met opposition from nearly all quarters in Meghalaya including the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJP has called to publicly denounce the event.
A Hindu group has sought to declare the cow as the “nation’s mother” and end cow slaughter, but the plan has sparked concerns among locals.
Meghalaya Cabinet Minister and BJP leader Alexander Laloo Hek urged the administration to deny permission for the event, citing potential unrest. “These groups will create unnecessary misunderstanding between the sentiments of the locals,” Hek said.
Hek rejected allegations that the cow rally aims to convert Christians to Hinduism, pointing to his own Christian faith despite being associated with the BJP since 1986.
Other states, including Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, have also denied permission to the cow yatra organisers, according to BJP spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang.
Protesters gathered at Shillong airport, opposing the Gau Dhwaj Yatra and warning of potential unrest.