Conspiracy to create communal tension, CM Himanta says on Rahul's Assam monastery visit plan

Guwahati: Rahul Gandhi's plan to visit the Batadrawa Than, a Vaishnavite monastery on the day of consecration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya was part of a conspiracy to create communal tension in Assam, CM Hiimanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

"If he was serious about visiting religious Centres in Assam, why did not he visit the historic Kamakhya temple in Guwahati? He did not visit despite his team doing a recee. Why did not he visit the Haigriv Madhab temple despite visiting Hajo? He did not visit the Barpeta Satra despite visiting Barpeta. Barpeta xatra is another revered Vaishnavite monastery," Sarma said while talking to reporters in Guwahati on Thursday.

Sarma asked if Rahul was serious about respecting the culture and history of Assam, why did not he visit the memorial of Ahom General Lachit Borphukan and cultural icon Bhupen Hazarika's memorial in Guwahati. "He visited Dhubri but did not visit the Gurudwara there, where Sikh guru Tegh Bahadur had himself visited."

"The motive behind his plan to visit the Batadrava Than on the day of consecration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya was to create a communal tension Assam anyhow," Sarma alleged.

Rahul had to give up his plan to visit Batadrava Than at Bardowa in Central Assam's Nagaon district, the birthplace of 15th-16th century Vaishnavite saint, Srimanta Sankardev on January 22, after he was not allowed to enter its premises before 3pm due to consecration of the Ram temple. Gandhi said he was invited on January 11 to visit the Than on January 22 but authorities of the monastery denied him permission after Assam CM's order.

Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which began its journey from conflict-hit Manipur on January 14, left for Bengal on Thursday. The yatra saw high drama and potshots between Sarma and Gandhi in Assam between January 20 and 24. Assam Police registered a case against Gandhi and a few other AICC leaders, hours after CM's order to the DGP.

The case was registered in connection with the incident in which Congress workers allegedly clashed with police while the yatra was stopped from entering Guwahati on January 23. Sarma alleged that Gandhi adopted "Naxalite tactics" by inciting the Congress workers to clash with the police.

Congress workers forcefully removed the barricades put up by police to prevent the yatra from taking the route via city. The case was referred to CID on Wednesday and Sarma said Gandhi would be arrested after the Lok Sabha polls. Gandhi described Sarma as the most corrupt CM while Sarma called the former Congress president darpok (coward) as he allegedly fled after inciting the party workers in Guwahati on January 23.

On Thursday, Sarma said that Congress was no longer a party of Gandhian philosophy and it was now driven by left leaning character. "The way they removed the barricades is not the character of Congress. I know Congress since I was in the party for 22 years," Sarma said.