Shillong: The BJP today indicated that the cow slaughter ban would remain alien to the Northeast. It also reassured that every religious community would live with utmost “peace, safety and security” in the country.
The assurance came from BJP general secretary Ram Madhav who accompanied party president Amit Shah during his maiden visit to Meghalaya.
Shah arrived here amid a 12-hour shutdown called by the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council in Khasi-Jaintia hills and a protest staged by a civil society group in Shillong, to address party workers and hold discussions with representatives from a cross-section of society. After addressing party workers at the State Convention Centre near Hotel Pinewood, he drove to Hotel Polo Towers to meet representatives from churches, non-Congress political parties and pressure groups.
Shah refused to speak to the media although some senior journalists attempted to persuade him to address journalists.
On the other hand, Madhav reiterated the party’s stand on protecting the rights of all citizens.
Reacting to the protest, he said, “It is a democratic country. People can protest. But their reasons for the protest are misplaced. The BJP is committed to the unity and integrity of the country. India is a country of multiple religions. Plurality is at the heart of this country. Every religious community will live in this country with utmost peace, safety and security. The government will ensure that.”
The protesters, led by the Thma U. Rangli Juki, staged a demonstration near Raj Bhavan to oppose Shah’s visit as they listed 13 major points of contention against the BJP government at the Centre.
The contentions were on the question of banning cow slaughter and the alleged atrocities perpetrated against Christians.
Madhav clarified that there was no proposal to ban cow slaughter in the Northeast.
“In some states, ban on cow slaughter has been there for several decades now. In a number of states it is there and in a number of states it is not there, including in all the northeastern states because of the demographic situation here. We are not proposing any such thing here,” he said.
He said the cow slaughter ban in states like Maharashtra was essentially based on “certain socio-economic reasons”.
“Our governments in different states will review the situation and based on that they will take decisions,” he added.
On the BJP’s plan to strengthen the party in the Northeast where its presence is negligible except in Assam, Madhav countered, “The BJP has a good presence in a number of states in the Northeast. We are attaching great importance to the development of the entire region.”
He said the party was supporting the government’s initiatives to strengthen the economy of the region as well as creating avenues for connection with a number of neighbouring countries.
“We are committed to the development of the Northeast. That is why we are here,” he said.
