Permission for the controversial planned cow yatra on October 2 lies with the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner and not at the political level, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said today.
Representatives of Jagatguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati of Jyotirmath want the cow declared as the “nation’s mother” and end cow slaughter and have been on a tour around the North East to publicise their aims. They want to hold a cow rally on October 2 in the state capital.
Despite opposition from numerous corners, the rally has yet to be outrightly banned by the authorities and Sangma today clarified that the power lies with the DC to authorise or prohibit an event.
Even his own political rallies have to first take the permission of the relevant DC and sometimes the officials withhold permission, he explained.
“This decision is totally at the administrative level. It’s not at the Chief Minister’s level. When the Chief Minister also wants to hold a rally of my own party, I don’t get permission sometimes from DC,” Sangma stated.
