Tension escalated in Guwahati as approximately 5,000 Congress workers attempted to enter the city to continue Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. A significant deployment of state police intervened to prevent the Congress rally from accessing Guwahati’s roads.
Earlier, the Assam government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma denied permission for the yatra to traverse arterial roads in Guwahati. Citing it as a working day and expressing concerns about potential traffic congestion, the state administration directed the rally to take the national highway route toward lower Assam, specifically instructing Congress workers to follow National Highway 27, functioning as a ring road around the city.
Workers participating in the march accused the state administration of denying entry into the city on trivial grounds. This standoff occurs amid an ongoing dispute between the Congress and the BJP government in Assam, with Congress alleging that the Himanta Biswa Sarma government is obstructing the yatra led by Rahul Gandhi. The Congress asserted, “Since our entry into Assam, the most corrupt CM in India has been carrying out relentless attacks on our convoys, properties, and leaders using his goons.”
Today’s confrontation near Guwahati follows dramatic events yesterday when Rahul Gandhi was prevented from visiting the shrine of a 15th-century social reformer. Gandhi had planned to visit the birthplace of Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva near Guwahati. Following the plan announcement, Chief Minister Sarma urged Gandhi not to visit the shrine before the conclusion of the Ram Mandir ‘pran pratistha’ ceremony in Ayodhya.
Chief Minister Sarma expressed concern about a potential competition between coverage of the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony and Gandhi’s visit to Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva’s birthplace, deeming it unfavorable for Assam. The shrine’s managing committee announced that Gandhi would not be allowed entry before 3 pm.
In response, Gandhi and his associates staged a dharna at the site of the roadblock after being stopped on their way to the shrine. Party MP Gaurav Gogoi and Batadrava MLA Sibamoni Bora proceeded to the shrine and offered prayers.
Gandhi affirmed his belief in Sankardeva’s philosophy of bringing people together and not spreading hatred. He stated that Sankardeva is like a guru to the Congress and provides direction. Gandhi expressed his intention to visit Batadrava when the opportunity arises.
The Congress alleged that the shrine’s managing committee had initially agreed to Gandhi’s visit but later changed its position.
Gandhi’s yatra also faced obstacles during the Meghalaya leg, with local authorities denying permission for an interaction between the Congress leader and students at a university. Gandhi later addressed students from atop the yatra truck near the Assam-Meghalaya border, claiming that the cancellation was on the instructions of the Union Home Minister.