DIMAPUR, AUGUST 30 (MExN): BJP Nagaland on Thursday issued a clarification over the controversy arising out of the immersion of the ashes of Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India.
BJP Nagaland chief spokesperson, Kuputo Shohe in a press release said the ritual for the immersion of the ashes of Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was performed by appropriate persons in the State BJP Minority Cell and not by the BJP State president or any of the Naga leader.
Asserting that the ashes of Vajpayee was sent to all the states in India to pay homage to the last remains of a great leader, the BJP Nagaland said the Christian states of the North East particularly Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland also received the urn containing the ashes of Late Vajpayee. Each state, as a sign of respect honored the last remains of our great leader in their own respective ways, it added.
It also pointed out that India, being a secular country, the Constitution mandates equal right, protection and respect for all faith and therefore, “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.”
Maintaining that it has not been the intention of the State BJP president or the BJP in the state to hurt the sentiment of any individual, organizations or Hohos, the State BJP hoped that this clarification will put to rest the controversy marring the conduct of the ‘rituals of the last remains of our great leader.’
