Rahul Gandhi Denied Access to Temple, Questions Reason Behind Restrictions

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused authorities in Assam of barring him from visiting the Batadrava Satra Temple, the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva, a revered Assamese saint and scholar from the 15th century, located in Nagaon.

Expressing his discontent with the restrictions, Mr. Gandhi queried, “We want to visit the temple. What crime have I committed that I cannot visit the temple?” He emphasized that the intention is solely to offer prayers without causing any disruptions.

Rahul Gandhi added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will now decide who will visit the temple.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had urged Mr. Gandhi to reconsider the route of his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,’ expressing concerns about potential clashes with the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Mr. Gandhi, reacting to the situation, commented that only Prime Minister Narendra Modi will decide who gets to enter the temple, stating, “Only one person can enter the temple.”

In response to the incident, Congress leaders and Mr. Gandhi initiated a sit-in protest in Nagaon.

Chief Minister Sarma emphasized the need to avoid unnecessary competition between the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple and the visit to the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva at Batadrava. He urged Mr. Gandhi to reconsider his plans, expressing concerns about the potential negative impact on Assam’s image.

“I urge Rahul Gandhi to not create a notion that there is a competition between Ram Temple and Batadrava Satra because the TV channels will be flashing Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony on one side and him visiting Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva’s birthplace on the other side. This won’t be good for Assam,” Mr. Sarma stated.

The Congress has announced nationwide protests, alleging “planned attacks” on the convoys of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam. Party general secretary KC Venugopal accused the Assam Chief Minister of orchestrating attacks on their convoys, properties, and leaders, labeling him as “the most corrupt chief minister in India.”

Mr. Venugopal called for widespread protests across the country, denouncing what he claimed to be an “assault on democracy” in Assam by the BJP-led government. During a roadshow, Mr. Gandhi encountered a hostile crowd in Nagaon, with slogans raised against him and placards displaying messages like ‘Anyay Yatra’ and ‘Rakibul go back,’ referring to Samaguri Congress MLA Rakibul Hussain.