From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: After cancellation of many national and international events and visits, now both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday have decided not to go to Guwahati for Khelo India Youth Games in the face of stiff opposition from the youths against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Last month, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to India was called off after an annual summit between the prime ministers of the two countries in Guwahati was called off because of the protests.
Many other events and visits, both domestic and international, including visit of two senior ministers from Bangladesh, have also been cancelled.
Modi has reportedly informed the sports ministry as well as the Assam government that he will not be able to open the event. The BJP-led Assam government had reportedly also sounded out Shah for the same but he is also not going.
Shah had already cancelled his visit to the region earlier and rather campaigned for assembly polls in Jharkhand following widespread protest.
Assam has been in the grip of protests against the government’s new citizenship law.
Student bodies like the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and North East Students’ Union (NESO) have warned that Modi or Shah will face protests anywhere in the North East.
“The government has declared the Khelo India Games as an event of national importance. Around 6,800 athletes are expected to participate in the third edition of the Games. The Khelo India Games being declared events of national importance is a significant step,” Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, who also hails from the region, said.