Dimapur, Aug. 30 (EMN): At the receiving end of open criticism from some Naga civil organisations and churches, the Nagaland unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday issued a statement to clarify the controversy surrounding the immersion of the ashes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the former prime minister of India, in Nagaland.
“...it is unfortunate to state that Nagaland witnessed a furore of hue and cry from all nooks and corners. It has not been the intention of the state BJP president or the BJP party in the state as a whole to hurt the sentiment of any individual, organisations or hohos,” the statement read.
According to the party, Vajpayee’s ashes were sent to all the states in India to pay homage. “Along with the rest of the states in the country, the Christian states of the Northeast particularly Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland also received the urn containing the ashes of (the) late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Each state, as a sign of respect honoured the last remains of our great leader in their own respective ways.
“The BJP leaders of Nagaland, particularly the Nagas, are all Christians who are aware of our Christian ethics and would in no way intentionally hurt the sentiments of the people of our state. Besides paying the due and deserved respect to the leader of our country, it is clarified that no ritual of a different religion was performed by the state BJP president, but was performed by the appropriate persons belonging to the same religion in the state BJP minority cell,” it stated.
The party reasoned that the Constitution of India allows for equal respect for all religions. Hence, it was only right that the urn containing the ashes/last remains of Vajpayee was brought to Nagaland. “As much as we value the guaranteed right and raise voice against discrimination of our faith anywhere, we ought to respect the same about others before imposing our own in our domain.
“As clarified, the ritual upon the last remains of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was performed by the state minority cell of the party and not by the state BJP president or any of the Naga leaders. While it is regretted if anyone’s sentiment has been hurt, particularly the Lotha Hoho being the most vocal, the state BJP party is hopeful that this clarification will put to rest the controversy marring the conduct of the rituals of the last remains of our great leader.
“The state BJP party humbly requests the citizens of the state to kindly appreciate the works of our late leader towards the Nagas which require no explanation and put to rest the unfortunate controversy once and for all,” it read.
