GUWAHATI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Monday, alleged that he was denied access to Batadrava Than, the birthplace of the revered Assamese saint and polymath Srimanta Sankardeva, a key figure in the state’s social reform history.
Traversing the state as a part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress leader was scheduled to visit Batadrava Than in Nagaon district but claimed that he was prohibited from entering despite holding valid permission.
In response to the alleged denial, Gandhi, along with Congress party workers, staged a sit-in protest in Nagaon.
In a video circulated by a national news agency, Gandhi could be seen questioning a security official about the reason for the obstruction.
Taking an indirect swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he remarked, “It seems that today only one person has the authority to go to the temple. I am here just to fold my hands in prayer.”
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However, authorities countered the claims, stating that local MP and MLA were permitted to visit the temple, leading to a clash of narratives.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh weighed in on the situation, stating, “Rahul Gandhi wanted to go there. We had been trying since January 11, and two of our MLAs met the management for the same.”
Ramesh highlighted the sudden change in permissions, attributing it to “pressure from the state government”.
Earlier on the evening of January 21, the Batadrava Than’s management committee, in a statement, had mentioned that Gandhi’s visit was rescheduled to after 3 pm due to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and other programmes.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Sunday, too had urged Gandhi to reconsider his visit to the holy shrine on the same day as the Ram Temple ceremony.
He had announced the deployment of commandos along sensitive routes, especially in minority-dominated areas, during Gandhi’s yatra, directing authorities to enhance patrolling and vigilance in designated areas.
The chosen route through Morigaon, Jagiroad, and Nellie has been marked as “sensitive”, as concerns about unnecessary competition between events rise, leading to increased security measures in the area.
