Rahul Gandhi protests after Assam govt denies him temple visit

The Congress has said that Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to have darshan of Batadrava Than, the birthplace of Sri Sri Sankardev (a 15th century Assamese saint), despite the managing committee having already granted permission to Gandhi to visit the temple. Gandhi was also stopped from holding a street corner meet and from taking out a padayatra when his yatra reached Assam's Morigaon district.

The party said Gandhi was forced to sit on the road in protest. But the order was revoked late Sunday night, apparently at the behest of the Assam chief minister. The management committee of Than on Sunday asked Rahul to visit after 3pm.

Gandhi then tried to argue with the police saying: "What mistake have I made that I am not allowed inside the temple? We are trying to go to the temple. We were invited and now they are telling us that we can't visit. We are not going to do anything forcibly. We have to do our yatra. We are asking them what the reason is. We are not going to disturb anybody".


Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said, "Today, the BJP stopped Rahul ji from going to Batadrava Satra, despite prior nod. We have entered a new phase of democracy where the BJP will decide who should go to a temple and at what time".