Rahul stopped from Sankaradeva temple visit stages dharna, asks if PM Modi decides temple visitors

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has sat on dharna after he was stopped from visiting Batadrava Than, the birthplace of Assamese icon saint Srimanta Sankardeva. Party has said that it has prior permission for the visit but their leaders were denied entry at the appointed time.

Nagaon:Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is undertaking the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur to Mumbai, has sat on dharna on the road after he was stopped from visiting the temple of Assamese icon saint Srimanta Sankardeva, in Assam's Nagaon district, on Monday.

In the wake of the incident, Rahul Gandhi recently reacted by saying, "We follow Sankardeva's path, we bring people together, not spread hatred."

Thereafter, he further added, "I cannot go to Sankardeva's birthplace but others can during a law and order crisis." Later, he said, "I will go to Sankardeva's birthplace when I get the opportunity ."

Meanwhile, he had slammed the authorities for their preventive measure which stopped his temple visit, and wondered whether "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will now decide on who will visit the temple."

"What is the issue brother? Can I go and see the barricades? What mistake have I done that I am not allowed inside the temple?" Congress leader Rahul was heard asking a security official after he was stopped from visiting Assam's Batadrava Than, the birthplace of saint Srimanta Sankardeva.

"We are trying to go to the temple. We were invited and now they are telling us that we can't visit," he said.

"We are not going to do anything forcibly. We have to do our yatra, we are asking them what is the reason? We are not going to disturb anybody. We have been invited there."

According to Congress, Rahul Gandhi has been compelled to sit on the road this morning since 8.15 am at Haiborgaon near Nagaon. "He is waiting there to be allowed for darshan at the Shri Shri Sankardev Janmasthan," the party said in a short statement.

"He has not been allowed to proceed to Bordowa Than at Nagaon, for which permission was earlier granted. But it was revoked late last night, with no guarantee that he will be allowed to pay his respects at one of the holiest centres of Assam," it read, sharing the live link to the protest.

"Today the BJP stopped Rahul ji from going to Batadrava Satra, despite prior permission. We have entered a new phase of democracy where the BJP will decide who should go to a temple and at what time(sic)," party general secretary KC Venugopal wrote in an X post.

"This dictatorial regime must realise that its days are numbered. People of India will not allow such authoritarianism. We will not budge till we are allowed to bow before Sri Sri Srimanta Sankardeva," he added.

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