Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has raised questions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in determining who can visit a temple in India. This comes after Rahul Gandhi was denied permission to visit the birthplace (sattra) of Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva in Assam’s Nagaon District on Monday, citing potential law and order disruptions.
Expressing his surprise, Gandhi stated, “This is strange because Rahul Gandhi cannot go there while everyone else can visit the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva. Will PM Modi now decide who will visit a temple and when?”
In response to the denial, Rahul Gandhi, along with other senior Congress leaders and supporters, staged a dharna at Haibargaon on the way to Sankardev's birthplace in Batadrava. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Batadrava MLA Sibamoni Bora went to the birthplace to resolve the dispute.
Gandhi emphasized the Congress party's commitment to bringing people together, echoing the principles of Srimanta Sankardeva. He expressed his intention to pay respects to Sankardeva, whom he views as a guide and mentor.
“I will visit Batadrava as soon as I can. I think the whole nation should take the path that Sankardeva showed us,” Gandhi remarked.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had requested Rahul Gandhi to postpone his visit until after the Ram Mandir inauguration in Ayodhya. The managing committee of the Sri Sankardeva Sattra subsequently declared that Gandhi would not be allowed to visit the sattra before 3 pm on Monday.
Gandhi and his group were stopped near Haibargaon by Additional District Commissioner Lakhyajyoti Das and Nagaon SP Navaneet Mahanta, with heavy security deployed around the sattra by the district administration. Gandhi questioned the police about the restriction, emphasizing their intention to pray at the sattra without causing any issues.
Gaurav Gogoi, who visited the sattra with local MLA Bora, refuted claims of potential law and order issues. He stated that the area was peaceful, accusing the administration of spreading false information about the crowd and the state of law and order.
(With Agency Inputs)
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