Guwahati: Countering Rahul Gandhi's claims of being denied entry into a Vaishnavite monastery by the RSS during his Assam visit, the head of the Barpeta Satra Basistha Sarma today said there was no RSS agent in the religious place.
"There is no RSS agent in the Satra. It is a religious place and only religious activities are undertaken here. Where does politics come into the Satra?" Sarma said while speaking to reporters. “I clearly deny there was any opposition or demonstration to prevent Rahul Gandhi as alleged. On the contrary, I was at the satra gate for nearly four hours, waiting to receive," he added.
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Responding to Rahul's claims today that the RSS had fielded women to prevent him from entering the temple, the head priest said, "The women here are simple people and they come twice a day for participating in the community prayers in the Satra. They were only waiting at the Satra gate to see Rahul Gandhi. They do not know anything about politics."
He further criticized Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for “connecting a centre of religion and culture like the Satra with politics”. Politics and the Satra should not be interlinked, he said.
Assam CM Gogoi, however, stuck to his stand maintaining that the Satra had told him that Rahul Gandhi will not be allowed to enter the monastery. "The Satra head had told me that Rahul Gandhi will not be allowed to enter the Satra. The RSS instigated it.
"Never heard of anyone being prevented from entering the Satra before.I ask them even today why they prevented (Rahul from entering). Everyone has the right to enter. If RSS is not there, then why not question them why we were not allowed in," he said.
