Vajpayee's ashes immersed 'secretly' in Nagaland

Kohima (Nagaland), Aug 27, 2018:

Coming under sharp attack from the powerful Church, various tribal bodies, Congress and some civil society organisations, the BJP in Nagaland was forced to immerse the ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee secretly in a different river and location on Monday.

Originally scheduled to be immersed in Doyang river in Nagaland's Wokha district, the programme was changed at the last moment and instead performed in Dhansiri river at Dimapur, the State's commercial hub.

BJP Nagaland unit president Temjen Imna Along's decision to immerse Vajpayee's ashes had run into a wall of opposition with the powerful Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), Nagaland Christian Forum(NCF), Dimapur Christian Forum(DCF), Lotha Hoho and Lotha Baptist Church Association, besides the Congress, criticising the move.

They all contended that Nagaland being a Christian tribal State, the ritual was "alien" to the people and would hurt their sentiments.

Meanwhile, the BJP Nagaland unit chief confirmed that, despite the opposition, the immersion was done in a proper manner at Dimapur without hurting the sentiments of any community in the State.

Vajpayee's ashes were taken to different States for immersion in the rivers, including those in the Northeast.