NEW DELHI, Dec 14 - A purported attempt to prevent Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi from entering a Satra in Barpeta has snowballed into a major controversy, with the AICC leader charging that he was stopped by RSS workers, alleging that it was BJP�s style of politics which was �unacceptable�.
Interacting with newsmen, Rahul, who was taking part in a protest by the Congress outside Parliament House over the law and order situation in the State, said he was prevented from entering the �temple�.
�When I went to Assam, I wanted to visit a temple in Barpeta district. And at the temple, the RSS people stopped me from entering the temple complex. This is the way the BJP operates.
�They made the women there stand in front of me and told me that I cannot enter the temple,� he said and asked, �Who are they to stop me?� Rahul said.
Meanwhile, reacting to the development, the Satradhikar of Auniati Satra, Dr Pitambar Deva Goswami described Rahul Gandhi�s reactions as �unfortunate� and said that he was unaware as to why he made such remarks. �I am not aware, but such reaction is unfortunate,� he told newsmen.
�Satras have liberal rules and policies and are centres of our culture. Under the circumstances, what he has said is nothing but wild accusation,� he said.
Janardhan Deva Goswami of North Kamalabari Satra said that Rahul Gandhi�s views about Satras reveals his ignorance and shows that he doesn�t know how to respect such institutions.
Asserting that Rahul Gandhi has hurt their sentiments and does not know how to respect satras, and therefore he should apologise, the Satradhiakar said.
Our Barpeta Correspondent adds: There is no question of detering Tarun Gogoi and Rahul Gandhi from entering the Satra. Otherwise, they cannot visit it in the afternoon, said Tarun Das, secretary of the satra management committee.
