Guwahati, Jan 22: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Monday morning prevented from visiting Bordua satra, the birthplace of Vaishnavite saint Sri Sankardev under Batadrava constituency in Nagaon district despite the party claiming that prior permission was taken from the satra management committee earlier this month.
Notably, Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the party’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra across the state, reached Haibargaon in Nagaon around 8.20 am when the police authorities stopped him from proceeding to Bordua satra.
Barricades were placed in Nagaon town, prompting the Congress leader to sit “on the road” for about two hours and interact with locals.
It may be noted that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday, during a media conference in Guwahati, requested the Congress leader not to visit Batadrava or take out the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in sensitive areas in the state during the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on Monday.
Addressing a media conference later in the day, AICC general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh informed that Congress MLAs Sibamoni Bora Rana Goswami had on January 11, 2024, met the Bordua Than satradhikar and informed him of Rahul Gandhi’s wish to spend a few minutes at the satra in the early hours of January 22 during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
“This wish of Rahul Gandhi was welcomed and supported by the satradhikar. A few days later, Gaurav Gogoi, the local MP, also met with the Batadrava Than satradhikar and informed him of the scheduled visit on January 22,” Ramesh said, while giving a chronology of events.
“However, on the evening of January 20, the Assam chief minister announced that Rahul Gandhi cannot visit Batadrava Than on the morning of January 22 and could do so only after 3 pm the same day,” the veteran Congress leader said.
Ramesh further said that on the morning of January 21, the satradhikar made a statement that because of a huge gathering expected at the satra on the morning of January 22, Rahul Gandhi should visit the holy place only after 3pm.
Visuals provided by the APCC media cell showed Gandhi trying to make a point with the Nagaon police while asking why he was not allowed to go to Bordua than despite prior permission (on January 11).
In a tweet later, Rahul Gandhi stated: “Sankardev ji wove the cultural diversity of India into the thread of unity through devotion, but today I was prevented from bowing my head at his place. I bowed to the Lord from outside the temple and took His blessings. We will carry forward this struggle for dignity against unlimited power.”