BJP ready, TUR says boycott Shah’s visit

***BJP national president Amit Shah is slated to visit Shillong on April 22 but the HNLC has called a bandh to protest his Shillong visit***

SHILLONG, APR 20: Even as the state BJP clarified that the ‘ban on cow slaughter’ is a state subject and “beef eating” is the food habit of the majority people of the state” and should not be banned, the Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) has appealed to the people especially the religious leaders not to attend the meet called during the visit of the BJP president Amit Shah in Shillong on April 22.

The HNLC has called a twelve-hour bandh to protest against the visit of Shah to Shillong on April 22 accusing the BJP of attack on Christians in different part of the country and blaming the saffron party for the ban on cow slaughter in Maharashtra.

And on Monday, TUR issued a statement requesting the people, religious and political leaders including ngos not to attend the Shah’s meeting during his Shillong’s visit and instead converge near MBoSE office to discuss attack on Democratic and Secular ideals by the “Hindu Right.”

Meghalaya BJP however has informed that it is all set to receive its national president Amit Shah in a grand way and said preparations to receive him begun for the past few weeks.

In a statement issued on Monday, Meghalaya BJP unit said it is very unfortunate that a bandh has been called on the day of Shah’s visit to the state as he will be addressing important meeting with the party workers besides meeting different ngos and non-Congress politicians.

The state BJP also reminded that the party has strongly condemned the atrocities against different Christian communities that took place across the country. The statement said, “Our honorable prime minister Narendra Modi had also condemned this shameful act. The central government has not taken this lightly and has set up different enquiries to look into the matter.”

The state BJP further argued that it is completely misleading to blame the party for the ban on cow slaughtering. The statement said, “This issue is totally a state subject. The party strongly feels that since feef eating is one of the food habits of the majority of the people of Meghalaya, it should not be stopped.”

TUR in a press communiqué said it invites people’s group, all concerned individuals and groups to join in a public forum on April 22 at 11.00 am near MBOSE office, Lachaumiere to discuss the attack on “Democratic and Secular” ideals by the Hindu Right

TUR also appealed to all religious leaders, civil society groups and regional parties of Meghalaya to boycott Shah during his Shillong visit as TUR alleged that he –Shah- and his party are responsible for:

1. Anti tribal, anti farmer land ‘grabbing’ law

2. Attacking people’s freedom of culture, religion and faith through beef ban, vandalising of churches and mosques and their Ghar Wapasi campaign

3. Pushing for mining of Uranium against people’s wishes

4. Allowing corporate and multinational pharmaceutical companies to profit by decontrolling prices of essential medicines

5. Budget reduction on fund meant for north east India

6. Continuing and enhancing extensive militarization and severe human rights abuse in the region as a result of the draconian laws like AFSPA

7. Attacking minorities and their places of worship and officially condoning Hindustanisation of state institutions

8. Proposing to make school curriculum non secular

9. Weakening pro people laws like Right to Information, NREGS

10 Weakening protection for the workers by bringing labour reforms to benefit the corporate world.

11. Institutionalizing slave labour through their “Make in India campaign”

12. Continuously demeaning women and sexual minorities and attacking their rights through their vulgar pronouncements regarding sexual violence