Following strong opposition from local groups, the Meghalaya government convened a high-level meeting on Friday to address the arrival of a chartered flight carrying a leader of a cow protection group at Shillong Airport. As a result, the government has requested the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to deny the flight’s landing, as reported by Hub News.
According to the report, the chartered flight, scheduled to arrive on Saturday, was set to bring in Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the leader of the Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra, who planned to hold a cow protection rally in Shillong.
Chief Secretary DP Wahlang explained to the media that the decision was made to prevent potential law and order issues, particularly in the Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills districts. “We have decided to write to the Airport Authority of India to deny landing facilities for their flight tomorrow,” Wahlang stated.
On Friday, hundreds of members and leaders from prominent pressure groups, including the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), and Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO), gathered at Shillong Airport to protest against the proposed rally. However, the cow protection group’s arrival was postponed due to logistical challenges and has been rescheduled for Saturday.
Wahlang revealed that the state received intelligence indicating that the group intended to land at Umroi Airport and conduct a rally advocating for a nationwide ban on cow slaughter. However, the organizers had not secured the necessary permissions for the rally or any protests.
In light of the potential unrest, the Meghalaya government consulted with district authorities in Ri Bhoi and Shillong. Consequently, prohibitory orders under Section 144, now Section 163 of the BNSS, have been imposed, banning rallies and large gatherings in both districts.
The Chief Secretary further noted that the government had engaged with the Central Puja Committee (CPC), which confirmed its non-support for the cow protection rally. The CPC emphasized that October 2 marks the beginning of significant puja festivities, and local stakeholders were not involved in or supportive of the proposed rally.