Rahul Gandhi prevented from entering Assam shrine, sings devotional song at sit-in

A large contingent of security forces stopped Gandhi and other Congress leaders, who are in Assam as part of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, when they arrived at Batadrava Than around 9am

Member of Parliament (MP) Rahul Gandhi sang the devotional “Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram” song as he led a sit-in in Assam’s Nagaon on Monday after Congress leaders were prevented from entering Batadrava Than, a pilgrimage site associated with Assamese saint Srimanta Sankardev.

Rahul Gandhi said maybe today only one person can go to a temple. (X)

“Maybe, today, only one person can go to a temple in this country,” Gandhi said, referring to the consecration ceremony of the idol of the infant god Ram, or Ram Lalla, in Ayodhya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is presiding over the ceremony.

A large contingent of security forces stopped Gandhi and other Congress leaders, who are in Assam as part of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, when they arrived at Batadrava Than around 9am. Officials cited “orders” when Gandhi asked the security forces why he was not allowed in before he staged the sit-in singing the devotional song themed on Lord Ram, which was sung during Mahatma Gandhi’s meetings.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said local MP Gaurav Gogoi met Batadrava Than management on January 11 and sought permission for the visit. He added everything changed suddenly on Sunday. “They are not even allowing an MP [Gogoi] from entering a temple [Batadrava Than] which falls under his constituency. Is this their democracy?” Ramesh asked.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday asked the Congress leaders to avoid visiting Batadrava Than during the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. The Batadrava Than management later requested Gandhi to come after 3pm.

Sarma on Sunday said the state government would deploy commandos to control the situation if the Congress leaders tried to visit Batadrava Than. He claimed Gandhi was trying to instigate tensions on the day of the Ram Temple inauguration using the name of Assam’s legend Srimanta Sankardev.

Ramesh said that they just wanted to offer prayers. “He [Srimanta Sankardev] was a great social reformer and his words are relevant even today. We did not come here to politicise religion like [the ruling] BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] does,” he said.

Ramesh said they were aware of the request to come after 3pm but it was not possible because of yatra’s schedule. “At 3pm, we would be around 100 kilometres ahead. It was not possible to return. We do not understand why rules are different for us,” he said.