On January 22, 2024, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived to visit Batadrav Than located in Bordova district of Assam. However, they were stopped from entering the temple. This incident created a political stir in the country.
What happened to the incident?
Rahul Gandhi arrived at around 11 am to visit Batadrava Than. He met and greeted the devotees present outside the temple. After this, they proceeded to go inside the temple.
However, the temple management stopped them from going inside. The management said that no prior permission was taken for Gandhi’s arrival. He also said that there was some ritual going on in the temple at that time and hence, Gandhi could not have been allowed inside.
Gandhi objected to this decision. He said they have the right to go to the temple as it is a public place. He said barring them is “unconstitutional.”
due to incident
It is being told that there could be two reasons behind stopping Rahul Gandhi from entering Batadrava Than. The first reason is that the temple management feared that Gandhi’s arrival might increase political tension. The second reason is that some local people opposed Gandhi’s arrival.
political reaction to the incident
The incident of stopping Rahul Gandhi from entering Batadrava created a political stir in the country. Congress and other opposition parties condemned the incident. He described it as an “attack on secularism”.
BJP defended this incident. The party said that the temple management has the right to decide who should be allowed to enter the temple.
significance of the event
Batadrava Than is an important Hindu religious place. It is the birthplace of saint Srimanta Sankardev, who played an important role in promoting Vaishnavism in Assam.
The incident of stopping Rahul Gandhi from entering Batadrava Than was a controversial incident, which created a political stir in the country. This incident also shows that there is a deep connection between religion and politics in India.
Controversial history of Batadrava Than
Batadrava Than is a holy prayer house located in the Nagaon district of Assam. It is located at the birthplace of saint Srimanta Sankardev, who played an important role in promoting Vaishnavism in Assam.
The history of Batadrava Than has been full of ownership disputes. In the 19th century, the than was divided into two satras, Narova and Salaguri. There was a dispute between the two sessions over ownership and administration rights.
In 1958, a reunion process began to bring together the two former seasons. As a result of this process, the thans were unified under the name ‘Bordova Thans’. However, the reunification process has not been entirely successful. There are still some disputes between the two sessions.
Batadrava Than also has political importance. In February 2021, Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of a Rs 188 crore project to develop Batadrava as a major religious and cultural tourism hub. The project was seen as an attempt by the BJP to strengthen its position in Assam.
The incident of stopping Rahul Gandhi from entering Batadrava Than also shows the political importance of this temple. Congress saw the incident as an attack on the secularism of the BJP.
