Asom Sattra Mahasabha today rejected Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's claim that no land of the Vaishnavite monasteries in the state had been encroached upon by illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
Rejecting the chief minister's claim made yesterday that he had not received any complaint from any Sattradikar (head) about encroachment, Mahasabha chief secretary Kusum Kumar Mahanta in a statement here said the organisation had in fact informed the state government many times about it.
But the government had so far "failed to take any corrective measure", he said and termed Gogoi's claim as "unfortunate".
Barpeta Sattra Bura Satriya (head) Bakhista Deba Sarma reacting to the chief minister's comment said "Gogoi's stock reaction of 'Baadiya' (forget it) to important issues of the state will not do. There is encroachment in our Sattra land here and in the Satras in Majuli island also."
Gogoi had claimed yesterday "Not a single Bangladeshi is on Sattra land. If yes, I will resign. I have not received a single complaint from any Sattradhikar. It is false propaganda by the BJP."
Gogoi stuck to his stand while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting here during the day. "Show me where Sattra land has been encroached by illegal Bangladeshi migrants. If there are foreigners there, then why is the Central government sitting on it.
"Who is stopping them (the Centre) from deporting the foreigners ?" he asked and reiterated his claim that BJP and RSS had conspired to not allow entry of Rahul Gandhi into the Barpeta Sattra by placing RSS women agents at its gate on December 12.
Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Gogoi's claim that BJP and RSS had conspired to not allow Rahul to enter Barpeta Sattra during his visit to the state last week has evoked sharp reactions from the Sattra authorities.
