Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Monday restricted from entering ‘Batadrava Than’, the birthplace of Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva, in Assam during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Hitting out at the BJP-led Assam government, the Congress alleged that the Bordowa Than Management Committee was pressured by Chief Minister Himanta Sarma, who, in turn, was instructed from Delhi, to stop the Gandhi scion.
Taking to ‘X’, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said “Chronology Samajhiye (Understand the chronology).”
“Initially, the head of the Batadrava Shrine had welcomed Gandhi’s visit. The local Congress MLA Shibhomani Barua and another MLA Rana Goswami had met the Bordowa Than Satradhikar on January 11, informing him of Rahul Gandhi’s intention to spend a few minutes during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on January 22nd, coinciding with the Pran Pratishtha day of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.
“On the evening of January 20th, the Assam CM suddenly announced that Rahul Gandhi could not visit Bordowa Than on the morning of January 22nd and could only do so after 3 pm the same day,” he said in a detailed post.
“On the morning of January 21st, the Satradhikar stated that due to the expected large crowds at the Than on the morning of January 22nd, Rahul Gandhi should visit the holy place after 3 pm,” Ramesh added.
After negotiations, only the local MPs and MLAs, including Cong MP Gaurav Gogoi, were allowed to visit Bordowa Than.
Ramesh criticized this as unprecedented, arguing that elected representatives should have the freedom to move about in their constituencies without such restrictions.
The Gandhi scion questioned the motives behind the development, rhetorically asking what crime he had committed to be barred from visiting the temple.
He also sat on a dharna at the site along with the party workers.
“We want to visit the temple (Batadrava Than). What crime have I committed that I cannot visit the temple?” he asked. Confronting a security official on-site, he further inquired, “What is the issue, brother? Can I go and see the barricades? What mistake have I made that I am not allowed inside the temple?”
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, led by Gandhi, is on its Assam leg, aiming to unite the country and address issues of justice.