Hindu group urges Meghalaya Govt to arrange meeting over Mawjymbuin Cave row before Dec 23

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 17, 2024

The Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP), a Hindu organization, has urged the Meghalaya government to organize a meeting with all stakeholders regarding the reopening of the Mawjymbuin Cave for Hindu rituals.

The group has demanded that the meeting, along with an arranged visit to the cave, take place on or before December 23. Failing this, KSP has threatened to proceed with its plan to impose a road blockade at Jorabat (near Guwahati) before Christmas.

“We request the Meghalaya government to arrange a meeting with all stakeholders related to Mawjymbuin Cave and facilitate our visit to the cave before December 23. If our demand is not met, we will stick to our plans, and the government will be solely responsible for any unwanted circumstances,” said KSP president Satya Ranjan Borah during a press statement on Tuesday.

Borah emphasized the group’s demand for the right to worship at the cave and cited the cultural significance of the Shivling within the Mawjymbuin Cave. “We worship Lord Sri Krishna, who played the flute and delivered the Gita to Arjuna. It is now up to the East Khasi Hills DC and the Meghalaya government to decide what course of action they wish to take. We have already sent an email to the DC, with a copy marked to the Chief Ministers of Meghalaya and Assam, urging sincere resolution of this issue,” he stated.

Reacting sharply to Meghalaya Education Minister Rakkam A. Sangma’s statement, Borah criticized the minister’s stance as “immature and irresponsible.”

Earlier, Sangma had stressed the importance of respecting local sentiments, drawing a comparison by saying, “If we hold a church service near the Ram Mandir, it would not be well-received. Local issues and sentiments must be understood. If we advocate freedom of religion, we should practice what we preach.”

Borah questioned the minister’s definition of “local people” and accused him of bias: “Who are the local people he refers to? Are Khasis, Jaintias, and Garos who practice Hinduism or other faiths not considered locals? The minister exposed his limited understanding and anti-Hindu sentiment through his statement.”

He further pointed out that a church was built approximately 500 meters from the Mawjymbuin Cave in the early 1960s without opposition from Hindus. “Hindus have always been peace-loving and cooperative. That is why the church was built near the cave without any objection. Yet, now there is opposition to Shivling worship. This highlights the stark difference between Sanatan Hindu philosophy and others,” Borah remarked.

Borah also emphasized that the Mawjymbuin Cave is a natural structure, similar to the Kedarnath Shivling, and has been a place of worship for hundreds of years—long before Christianity was introduced in Meghalaya.

“It is shameful that the Education Minister lacks knowledge of his state’s cultural heritage and history,” Borah said. He further alleged that Sangma’s affiliations with the Catholic Church could be influencing his stance, claiming, “This is a deliberate attempt to erase Meghalaya’s age-old heritage, which violates Article 51(A) of the Indian Constitution.”

The KSP chief reiterated the group’s respect for all communities and religious practices in India but asserted their determination to protect Hindu cultural heritage. “We are peace-loving people, but we will not abide by unjust actions. We are fighting for our constitutional rights, our dignity, and the preservation of our heritage. We aim to contribute to national integrity and socio-cultural harmony,” Borah stated firmly.