Terming the roadshow by AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi at Barpeta on Saturday a grand success, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday accused the BJP and RSS of infiltrating into the Vaishnavite Satras of Assam and using the Satras for playing politics.
Gogoi’s statement on Sunday came after a section of locals in Barpeta slammed Rahul Gandhi for disrespecting the over 500-year-old historical Barpeta Satra by not entering it before starting of the roadshow.
“The forces like the RSS have infiltrated into the Satra. We had received reports on Saturday that a section of people are going to oppose Rahul Gandhi’s visit. So, he did not enter the Satra to avoid any untoward situation despite the fact that he was scheduled to enter the Satra and interact with people there,” said Gogoi while adding that the BJP has gone down to the level of playing politics using the Vaishnavite institutions, it is unfortunate.
“However, the road show was a grand success. You see, Barpeta is not our stronghold. But still thousands of people came out voluntarily and took part in the road show with the AICC leader. This shows the popularity of the Congress,” Gogoi said.
The three time Assam Chief Minister also challenged the BJP to prove its allegation of encroachment upon Satra lands by illegal foreigner and said that he would resign if the BJP can prove their allegations. “I’ll resign if they can point out a single illegal foreigner encroaching upon lands of Satras in Assam or they should resign. There is no encroachment on Satra lands and no Satra have so far approached us complaining that their lands have been encroached upon by foreigners,” said Gogoi.
“If there is encroachment on Satra land, why don’t they (the Central government) take action against them. There are so many central agencies…they should take action against the encroachers,’ he said adding the BJP has been resorting to false propaganda against the Congress ahead of the 2016 polls as they do not have any issue.
“The BJP has no issues and so they are spreading false propaganda against us to win the elections. However, whatever they do we are going to win as the people of Assam are politically matured. In the past the people of Assam have voted against us also. We are going to fight the polls on peace and development agenda,” Gogoi said.