In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh said that first, the temple head welcomed Rahul Gandhi’s visit but Assam CM suddenly announced that he could only visit Batadrava Than after 3 pm on January 22, which is the Pran Pratishtha day of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.
“Chronology samajhiye”: On Jan 11, 2024, the local Congress MLA ShibomBarua and another MLA Rana Goswami met the Bordowa Than Satradhikar and informed him of Rahul Gandhi’s desire to spend a few minutes in the early hours of January 22nd during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra at the hallowed birthplace of Sri Sri Sankardev. This desire was welcomed and supported by the Satradhikar. A few days later, Gaurav Gogoi the local MP, met with the Bordowa Than Satradhikar and reiterated Rahul Gandhi’s desire. Once again, this desire was welcomed and supported,” Jairam Ramesh said on X.
“On January 20th evening, the Assam CM suddenly announced that Rahul Gandhi could not visit the Bordowa Than on the morning of January 22nd and could do so only after 3 pm the same day,” he added.
Further, Jairam alleged that the head of the Temple was pressurised by the Assam CM, who in turn had been instructed from Delhi.
“On the morning of January 21st, Satradhikar states that because of huge crowds expected at the Than on the morning of January 22nd, Rahul Gandhi should visit the holy place after 3 pm. This he said was the decision of the Management Committee. The Bordowa Than Management Committee was pressurised by the Assam CM into taking the decision it did, who in turn has been instructed from Delhi,” he said.Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications also mentioned that on Monday morning after much negotiation, only the local MP and MLA were allowed to visit the Bordowa Than.”It is unprecedented that the local MP and local MLA had to negotiate their visit when they should have been able to move about freely in their constituency,” Jairam said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday who arrived at the Batadrava Than, the birthplace of revered Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva, in Assam, took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he was denied permission to enter the shrine.
“We want to visit the temple (Batadrava Than). What crime have I committed that I cannot visit the temple?…” Rahul Gandhi said.
“I want to go to the temple, what is wrong with this? Earlier we were invited but now the administration is saying that we cannot go. “Aaj sirf ek vyakti mandir mein ja sakta hain…”(Perhaps today only one person can go to the temple),” the Congress leader said in an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishta’ ceremony at Ayodhya Ram Temple.
Congress workers also held a protest at the site.
The Congress leader’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is currently on its Assam leg.
