Spiritual leader Shankaracharya turned away from Arunachal airport for campaigning against cow slaughter

Guwahati: Spiritual leader Jagadguru Shankaracharya was turned away from Arunachal Pradesh airport on Thursday following protests by members of the influential All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), against his 'Gau Dhawj Stapana Bharat Yatra', scheduled to take off from the state on Friday.

The yatra seeks to launch a campaign to end cow slaughter, particularly in the Northeastern states.

A chartered plane carrying Sankaracharya and his team landed at the Donyi Polo airport at Itanagar at around 9.30 am on Thursday but the AAPSU protesters blocked the exit gates and staged a protest. After about two-hours, the administration of Papum Pare district asked the spiritual leader to give up his plan. The plane left the airport at around 11.30 am, sources said.

AAPSU general secretary, Ritum Tali told reporters outside the airport that they are not against the Hindus or Sankaracharya but opposes his campaign against cow slaughter. "Whatever we want to eat is our constitutional right. We sacrifice a cow as part of our traditional customs also. They should not interfere with our customs and food habits."

Although the BJP is in power in Arunachal Pradesh, the state has a sizable Christian population.

Neighbouring states Nagaland and Mizoram, where more than 90 per cent people are Christians, also denied permission for the yatra, citing concerns of public disturbance and violation of Article 371(A) of the Constitution. Article 371 gives special powers to the tribal states in the Northeast. The influential Naga Students' Federation staged a protest against the proposed yatra.

In Meghalaya too, many staged protests and asked the government not to give permission for the yatra.