BJP asks Congress government in Assam to make intelligence report public

GUWAHATI: After the ruling Congress claimed the Assam state government had an intelligence report that indicated the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party were looking to create “an untoward situation” during the recent visit of party vice president Rahul Gandhi, the BJP demanded that the report be made public.

“The government must make public the intelligence report,” BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday.

A bitter war of words had broken between the Congress and the BJP after Gandhi claimed the RSS had stopped him from entering the Vaishnavite Satra (monastery) in Barpeta in Assam. State chief minister Tarun Gogoi said the intelligence report suggested that the women who allegedly prevented Gandhi from entering the Satra had RSS links.

“The women were also instigated by some people having strong RSS links. The whole intention of blocking Rahul Gandhi from entering the Satra was done to polarise the political landscape of the state to garner political mileage by a certain political entity,” he said.

Sarma said the state government must not indulge in “political blackmail” in the name of the intelligence report. He said Satra is a non-political institution.

“Rahul Gandhi is playing a dangerous game. Rahul does not have respect for temple and Satras. There is an attempt to appease a particular community,” Sarma said.

In response to Gandhi’s claim that the women physically tried to stop him, Sarma said, “Either Rahul should produce a video pertaining to this or he should apologise.”

Gogoi said he had personally requested Satradhikar Basistha Dev Sharma to facilitate Gandhi’s entry to the Satra to offer prayers.

“Gandhi was to begin his harmony walk after paying obeisance to Barpeta Satra on December 12. However, a section of the members of Satra parichalana (management) committee was opposed to it,” Gogoi said.