Cow protection group threatens to file petition against airport authorities after being denied to landing in Shillong airport

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 28, 2024

The cow protection group led by Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Ji Maharaj has threatened to file a petition before the Supreme Court against the airport authorities for denying them permission to take off from Agartala to Shillong Airport on Saturday.

This came after the state government’s request for denial of permission of landing to the chartered flight of cow protector/vigilante to Shillong airport citing law and order situation in Meghalaya.

“…due to certain law and order situation at Meghalaya as intimated by the state administration as well as the Airport Director Shillong Airport, the departure of the said non-scheduled flight from Agartala to Shillong is hereby not permitted,” an official source said here.

The denial of permission has forced the group to cancel its visit to Shillong. The proposed visit of Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati is to propagate ban on cow slaughter. Registering strong opposition, NGOs were camping outside the Shillong Airport to protest against the arrival of Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati.

A spokesperson of the group, Raja Saksham Singh Yogi said, “We are going back to Guwahati (from Agartala) but will do legal proceedings against the Airport authorities. Very soon we are just talking to our legal advisor to file the case against both Shillong and Agartala airport authorities.”

“We are going back to Guwahati as we don’t want to create any kind of mess or disturb the law and order. But will file a petition in supreme court soon,” he added.

Asked, Yogi said, “We were coming peacefully just to share our feelings not to disturb anyone.”

On Friday, the Meghalaya government had written to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to deny the landing of a chartered flight of the leader of a cow protection group at Umroi airport on Saturday.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary DP Wahlang.

District administrations of both East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi have also promulgated section 163 of the BNSS prohibiting holding of such cow protection rallies. 

Meanwhile, the central puja committee (CPC) had also made it clear that they are not supporting the cow protection group and their move to hold a rally to declare cow as mother of the nation in Shillong on October 2.