Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 10
BJP MLA, Imkong L Imchen joined the train of disapproval against the planned stoppover of the Gau Dhwaj Sthapana Bharat Yatra (Nationwide tour for raising cow flag) on September 28 in Nagaland. According to him, the planned stoppover in the state capital, Kohima, is not only ludicrous but would be detrimental to the BJP in Nagaland. “I am not only against this yatra (tour), but I would not want it to set foot in Nagaland. No one should talk such things. For the party in Nagaland, it will be politically very harmful as well,” Imchen told The Morung Express on September 10.
He said that the agenda of the cow flag tour, which is part of the larger Gau Pratishtha Andolan (movement for protecting and raising the prestige of the cow), may have relevance in mainland India. But for the northeast, or in Nagaland’s context, it does not ring even a chord with the people’s beliefs, either cultural or religious.
“I am not hiding my identity from anybody nor my integrity. And I will, and I shall stand by it even tomorrow… we never worshipped cow in our life,” he added. He said, “We are first a Naga, then a (member of a) political party. That is the most pertinent point.”
If at all there is a Parliamentary legislation, in the event, the subject of cattle/cow protection is moved to the Central List, as wished for by the supporters of the Gau Pratishtha Andolan, he said that the people has freedom of choice; and for Nagaland, Constitutional guarantee through Article 371 (A).
