Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 26
Buckling under pressure, the BJP Nagaland unit on Sunday shelved its proposal to immerse the ashes of Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister at Doyang River. Instead, the ashes would be immersed in Dhansiri River in Dimapur.
This was confirmed by a source from the BJP to The Morung Express on Sunday. There has been uproar from different quarters on the decision of the BJP Nagaland to immerse the ashes of the former PM in Nagaland Rivers on the ground that it is against the culture and religious belief of the Nagas.
While canceling the plan to immerse the ashes in Doyang River, the BJP source, however, said it would go ahead with the immersion programme at Dhansiri River in Dimapur.
Stiff oppositions
Meanwhile, the decision of the BJP State unit to go ahead with the immersion of the ashes continued to be met with stiff opposition from different quarters on the grounds that it is against the culture and religious belief of the Nagas.
A day after the intense criticism from the state’s Congress party (Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee) over the immersion issue, the Lotha Hoho, apex body of the Lotha tribe, on Sunday made it clear that it will not allow the BJP to immerse the ashes of the Late Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Wokha jurisdiction.
The Nagaland Joint Christian Forum (NJCF) also expressed concern on the issue of immersion of ashes of the former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Nagaland.
NJCF vice president, Rev. Dr. N. Paphino in a press statement urged the BJP leadership of Nagaland to take the “sentiments of the community into consideration during this time when the nation is mourning the passing away of our leader whom we all respect and honour.”
