Himanta Biswa urges Rahul not to visit Assamese icon Sankardeva’s birthplace during Ram temple consecration

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should avoid visiting the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva at Batadrava on January 22, as there can be no competition between Lord Ram and the medieval age Vaishnav saint revered as an icon in the state.

Sarma said that commandos will be deployed along sensitive routes of minority-dominated areas to be taken by Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on January 22, the day of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

''We will request Rahul Gandhi not to visit Batadrava on Monday during the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple as it will reflect Assam in the wrong light,'' the chief minister said at a press conference here.

He can go after the consecration ceremony without creating “unnecessary competition which will be sad for Assam'', he said.

Srimanta Sankardeva is an Assamese saint-scholar, social-religious reformer, poet, playwright and a towering figure in the cultural and religious history of Assam from the 15th-16th century.

For Monday, the Congress has chosen a route through “sensitive areas” of Morigaon, Jagiroad and Nellie which could have been avoided, the chief minister said.

''These areas are sensitive and I cannot discount any law and order situation arising and as such commandos will be deployed along sensitive routes of minority-dominated areas to be taken by Rahul Gandhi's Yatra on January 22,'' he said.

District Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of these areas have been directed to increase patrolling and maintain a strict vigil, Sarma added.