The NITI Aayog has deferred the Digidhan Mela in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland scheduled to be held on April 14 as these Christian majority states are observing April 14 as Good Friday, officials said today.
"It has been decided that Digi Dhan Melas may be held on any other date convenient to the state governments of Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland," NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer, Amitabh Kant said in an order sent to chief secretaries of these states today.
He said that these state governments are facing an issue of organising the melas on April 14 on account of Good Friday.
The order came following protests by respective state governments that observing such melas on Good Friday go against the Christian majority in these states.
The state unit of the BJP had also petitioned the Central leadership on the need to have some flexibility on having such mela on other dates except on April 14 this year.
"We respect the sentiments of the people in the state and we have informed our leaders on the issue which we hope they would do something about it," president of the Meghalaya unit of the BJP Shibun Lyngdoh had said earlier today.
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