Nagaland, Aug 27 :
The Nagaland Joint Christian Forum too said they were deeply concerned about the issue of immersion of Vajpayee’s ashes. “ Protests from tribal organisations made the BJP in Christian majority Nagaland opt for a ‘lesser’ river instead of the Doyang to immerse the ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday.
The Doyang is Nagaland’s longest and biggest river flowing from Japfu, the State’s second highest peak, and flows northward through Kohima, Zuhneboto and Wokha districts. The former Prime Minister’s ashes were to be immersed in Wokha district dominated by the Lotha Nagas.
On Sunday, the Lotha Hoho – apex body of the Lothas – said the BJP could perform the ritual “alien to Naga culture and religious belief” anywhere in Nagaland except the Wokha area. It also asked the BJP to refrain from going against local sentiments.
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Friday said the immersion of Vajpayee’s ashes in a river in the State was an insult to “our way of life”, as well as to the memory of the former Prime Minister.
The urns containing ash of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on August 22, 2018 before their distribution to BJP State presidents. Immersion of Vajpayee ashes: BJP criticised for imposing ‘alien culture’ on Nagaland In a statement, the NPCC said the BJP and its Nagaland unit had turned the immersion of ashes into a “circus” for petty political gains.
The Nagaland Joint Christian Forum too said they were deeply concerned about the issue of immersion of Vajpayee’s ashes. “We are not against any homage or practice of the party but to insist on carrying out the religious rite and culture of a certain religion which BJP keenly affiliates itself to.
