GUWAHATI: On the eve of Sankaracharya Avimukteswarananda Saraswati Maharaj’s proposed visit to Meghalaya to take part in the ‘Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra’, the state government wrote to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Friday requesting it to deny permission for the landing of a chartered flight carrying the seer and his team.Chief Secretary DP Wahlang told the media in Shillong that the decision to write to the AAI was taken to prevent any breakdown of law and order in Ri-Bhoi and East Khasi Hills districts.The Sankaracharya is scheduled to land at the Umroi airport in Ri-Bhoi district and then go to Shillong in East Khasi Hills district where the “Yatra against cow slaughtering” has been planned. Various organisations in the state are opposing it. Beef is a delicacy for the tribals in the state.“We received information that there is a likelihood of some elements trying to land at the Umroi airport tomorrow and taking out a rally in the name of protecting cow and ensuring that cow slaughter is banned in the country…They have not taken any permission for any rally or staging any protest. We have assessed the situation and to ensure that there is no escalation of law and order, we have decided to write to the AAI to deny them permission for landing,” the chief secretary said.The East Khasi Hills district authorities imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 BNSS apprehending the breakdown of law and order. District Magistrate RM Kurbah said the organisers did not seek any permission for the Yatra.Earlier in the day, the members of various organisations opposing the Yatra went to the Umroi airport to stage a protest following reports that the seer would land at 12 noon. After waiting for nearly two hours, they left.They told the media that they would make sure his journey to the state ends at the airport in case he comes on Saturday.On Thursday, the Sankaracharya and his team landed at the Donyi Polo airport in a chartered flight to go to the Arunachal Pradesh capital Itanagar for the Yatra but they had to cut short their visit at the airport itself following protests by the students who alleged the Yatra interfered with the food habits of the tribals of the state.
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