ACTION PUNJAB NEWS Desk: In a dramatic turn of events, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was prevented from visiting Assam’s Batadrava Than, the birthplace of saint Srimanta Sankardeva. The incident unfolded a day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma suggested postponing the visit to avoid “unnecessary competition” after the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya.
Rahul Gandhi, currently on the Assam leg of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, expressed dismay at being stopped despite receiving an invitation. He questioned the authorities without receiving a clear explanation for the obstruction. “We were invited, and now they are telling us that we can’t visit. We are not going to do anything forcibly. We have to do our yatra; we are asking them what is the reason? We are not going to disturb anybody. We have been invited there,” Gandhi asserted in a video, also questioning the police about the abrupt hindrance.
Thousands of people have sat on protest in Assam as Rahul Gandhi is being stopped from visiting temple of birthplace of Shanakaradev.
Why is Himanta and BJP stooping so low? Why is entire BJP scared of Rahul Gandhi? pic.twitter.com/3cjMM72rlf
— Anshuman Sail Nehru (@AnshumanSail) January 22, 2024
Later, he staged a dharna in protest against the authorities’ decision. The shrine’s management had requested Gandhi to visit after 3 pm due to the ongoing Pran Prathistha event, expecting around 10,000 visitors.
Jogendra Narayan Dev Mahanta, the President of Batadrava Than management committee, explained, “We do not want Rahul Gandhi to come here at that time, because there may be some difficulties in the process of welcoming him. He can come tomorrow after 3 pm, and we will be able to give him a grand welcome.”
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Assam CM Sarma had urged Gandhi not to visit the shrine during the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, expressing concern about potential misrepresentation.
Meanwhile, the Congress plans to protest against the stone-pelting incident on Jairam Ramesh’s convoy in Assam, condemning what they label as “BJP’s fascism and hooliganism.” Congress leader KC Venugopal called for nationwide protests to highlight what they perceive as an attack on democracy in Assam by the ruling BJP.
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(Inputs from agencies)
