Morigaon district commissioner on Monday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to refrain from holding a street-corner meeting and a padayatra as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as miscreants may try to disrupt peace and tranquility in the district.
“On the basis of intelligence inputs, the district administration apprehends the involvement of miscreants who may try to disrupt the peace and tranquility of the district by indulging in anti-social activities taking advantage of two major events happening on the same day–The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and the Ram Lalla Pran Pratistha–simultaneously”, district commissioner Devashis Sarma said in a letter to the Congress functionaries.
“In the interest of Rahul Gandhi’s safety and security, who is a ‘Z plus’ protectee along with our responsibility to avert any probable law and order disruption in Morigaon district, we request that the party refrains from the proposed street-corner meeting at the Bihutoli police point and padayatra from the Srimanta Sankardeva Chowk in Morigaon town,” the letter said.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi was barred from visiting the birthplace of iconic Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva, following which he took a veiled jibe at PM Modi saying, “Aaj sirf ek vyakti mandir mein ja sakta hain.” (Just one person can go to the temple today). Gandhi’s attack came amid the ‘Pran Pratishta’ ceremony at Ayodhya Ram Temple.
“We want to visit the temple (Batadrava Than). What crime have I committed that I cannot visit the temple?” Rahul Gandhi said. The Batadrava Than is the birthplace of revered Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva in Assam.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is scheduled to travel through Assam till January 25, covering a total of 833 km across 17 districts.