Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma stated that the approval for the Hindu Gau Pratishtha Andolan’s rally, which aims to ban the consumption of cow meat and declare the cow as the “Mother of India,” rests with the district authorities.
In response to a question, Sangma explained that anyone including those organizing rallies or meetings, must seek permission from the district authorities, regardless of their position—even the Chief Minister must do so.
He said that the NPP, which leads the government, also follows the same process. CM Conrad recalled that in 2008 he has proposed to held a political rally in Ampati but due to the non-granting of permission from the Sub Divisional Officer (SDO), the rally cannot proceed, this is how the administration functions, Sangma added.
He further clarified that there is no interference or restriction on anyone’s dietary preferences in a democratic country.
The Hindu Gau Pratishtha Andolan plans to hold a rally in Shillong on October 2, advocating for a ban on cow meat and the recognition of the cow as mother of the nation.
