High political drama unfolded in Assam’s Haiboragaon on January 22 after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was not authorised by authorities to visit the Sri Sri Sankar Dev Satra temple in Bordua near Nagaon in Assam. Mr. Gandhi, as well as other Congress leaders, was stopped at Haiboragaon and not allowed to go further.
The former Congress chief was slated to pay obeisance to the local deity before starting his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on January 22.
During a law and order crisis all can go to the birthplace of Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva but only ‘‘Rahul Gandhi cannot go’‘, the Congress leader said in Assam’s Nagaon. MP Gaurav Gogoi and Batadrava MLA Sibamoni Bora proceeded to the birthplace to resolve the issue.
After they backed , Mr. Gandhi told reporters that he believes in the philosophy of Sankardeva as ‘‘we also believe in bringing people together and not spreading hatred’‘.“He is like a guru to us and gives us direction. So I had thought when I came to Assam, I should offer my respects to him’‘, he said.
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Mr. Gandhi further said they had got an invitation to visit Sankardeva’s birthplace on January 11 but ‘‘on Sunday we were told that there is a law and order situation; This is strange as there is a law and order situation in the area, but Gaurav Gogoi and all can go but only Rahul Gandhi cannot go’‘, he said.
“I don’t know, there may be some reasons but I will go to Batadrava when I get an chance. It is my belief that both Assam and entire nation should follow the path shown by Sankardeva’‘, he added.
Mahila Congress leaders consequently sat on a dharna to protest against rejection of permission to Mr. Gandhi to go to the temple. The former Congress chief also participated the dharna.
Authorities said Mr. Gandhi will be authorised to go to the temple only at 3 p.m. Mr. Gandhi questioned the police on why he was being stopped from visiting the temple. “Will PM Modi now decide who will go a temple and when,” Mr. Gandhi said.
“We do not want to make any problems, just want to pray at the temple,” Mr. Gandhi told the police authorities.
High security arrangements, deployment of a huge police force and blockade of roads was in force around the Sri Sri Sankar Dev Satra temple. Barring the local MP and MLA, no Congress leader was allowed to go ahead of Haiboragaon, around 20 km from the temple site.
Even the media reporters was not permitted to travel beyond Haiboragaon.Congress Sewa Dal chief Lalji Desai said it was “shameful” that the Prime Minister and Assam Chief Minister were not letting them to pray at the temple. “This is atrocious. It is unfortunate that the Prime Minister will decide who will pray at what time in the country,” he said.
“Until , the Prime Minister does pooja (in Ayodhya), no one is permitted to pray anywhere,” Mr. Desai said. “There is no ‘loktantra’ (democracy) here and the government will decide when people will go to temples,” he said.
