Allow devotees to pray inside cave: Assam group urges CM

SHILLONG, Jan 3: The Assam-based Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP) on Friday requested Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to open Mawjymbuin cave for both tourists and pilgrims without hurting the sentiments of the local people. The group stressed on the need to ensure that every individual gets to enjoy their fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
In a letter to the chief minister, KSP president Satya Ranjan Borah said, “We believe that our involvement towards the Mawjymbuin cave issue is constitutional and sincerely justified and therefore we are here.”
“This is our utmost request to you and your good office to take the needful action so that every single person enjoys their constitutional fundamental rights and joyfully perform their duties here. We have faith in your visionary leadership and look forward to settle the issue here,” the letter said.
The group said opening the Mawjymbuin cave for all devotees, pilgrims, and tourists would further increase the state revenue in the pilgrim tourism sector.
“You definitely can define some rules for people to worship or offer prayers in front of the Shivaling. We suggest you to put restrictions on lighting diyas, dhoop etc., inside the cave for the sake of its natural and environmental significances. We also suggest you to put restrictions on placing any kind of flower, fruits etc., on the Shivaling considering the environmental circumstances,” he suggested.
He further stated, “If you and your associates seek our involvement, we will be pleased and honoured to help you towards making the cave even more significant in the national context without hurting beliefs and practices of the state and stakeholders concerned.”
The KSP president also informed that they were approached  by organisations like Seng Khasi Hima Mawsynram and Meghalaya Indigenous Minorities Tribal Forum to seek support towards getting their constitutional right to worship inside the cave.
“Right to worship, right to live, right to express (freedom of expression), right to movement etc., are our fundamental rights and every citizen of this country will have to get it everywhere in India. No one can ban anything or anyone barring the activities which are not healthy as a whole for the nation,” Borah stated.