PM Modi is likely to skip sports event in Guwahati

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to skip the inaugural ceremony of Khelo India Youth Games scheduled for Friday in Guwahati, which has been witnessing protests over the Centre's decision to amend a law that would grant citizenship to Bangladeshi immigrants.

An Assam BJP spokesperson said that Modi had cancelled his visit to Guwahati to inaugurate the Khelo India Youth Games.

According to an official statement, the Games would be launched by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju in the presence of star athletes such as Hima Das.

Assam BJP spokesperson Rupam Goswami told PTI that an invitation was sent to the Prime Minister's Office requesting Modi to inaugurate the Games.

“We have not received any confirmation from the PMO to our invitation,” Goswami said.

Last month, Home Minister Amit Shah had cancelled his visit to Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh in the wake of the anti-CAA protests.

Modi was to host his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Guwahati in December, but the visit was cancelled.

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi took a dig at Modi and claimed that the BJP did not want a repeat of the protests witnessed by the Assam Chief Minister Sonowal and his ministerial colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma during a T-20 match in Guwahati.

“Clearly BJP does not want a repeat of the cancelled T-20 cricket match in Guwahati where the audience booed the BJP CM Sarbananda Sonowal, FM Himanta Biswa Sarma and BCCI Secretary,” Gogoi said.