Guwahati, Apr 12 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday claimed that senior Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi sinned by taking part in an agitation along with Rahul Gandhi on the day of the consecration of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.

Gaurav Gogoi, deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Jorhat constituency.

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Sarma said, 'Why did Gaurav and Akhil Gogoi not experience the same religious fervour on the occasion of the consecration of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya on January 22 this year?'

On that day, Gaurav held a dharna with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the streets of Nagaon.

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'I think he has committed a great sin on that day by agitating to please Rahul Gandhi,' the chief minister said on the sidelines of a campaign programme in Biswanath under Sonitpur parliamentary constituency.

Sarma also accused Gaurav and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi of practising the 'politics of appeasement' by offering 'namaaz' at a mosque in Sivasagar on the occasion of Eid.

'We, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, greet people on the occasion of Eid. Eid, Christmas and Puja are festive occasions and we have nothing to say on who is celebrating it and how,' the chief minister said. They should have the same respect for Ram Mandir as they have displayed while offering prayers at the mosque, he added. They have not gone to the Ram Mandir yet, Sarma claimed.

'We believe that the problems of the Muslims in Assam cannot be solved through the policy of appeasement or polarisation. The Muslims will have to get government jobs, education and move ahead in society and this is not possible by simply offering prayers with them,' he said.

"These leaders do not help the poor get houses or government jobs, they do not protest against child marriage or stand by a divorced woman... They are only interested in getting their votes," the BJP leader said. Sarma said these people believe in the politics of polarisation and it is because of them that "our society is still backward', he said. Moreover, Pradesh Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah had said that Lord Krishna, who is revered across the state, is a 'love jehadi' and neither Gaurav nor Akhil Gogoi raised their voice against it, Sarma alleged.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)