BJP eyes Vaishnavite votes
If the ruling Congress party is playing the Hindu refugee card, the BJP is looking to gain Vaishnavite sentiments to woo indigenous Hindu voters in Assam.
With an obvious objective to capitalise the influence of Satras—Vaishnavite monasteries, the saffron party was focusing its activities on these ancient shrines, which are
a seat of Assamese culture and education. The party has launched a campaign in Majuli and other areas like Barpeta and Nagaon to save the 15th century monasteries from encroachment by illegal migrants. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president Mriganka Barman, who is in the forefront of the agitation, said, “Nearly 910 satras need urgent attention and the government has done nothing.”
During Rasotsava every year, hundreds of pilgrims from across the country visit these monasteries. In view of the elections, the organisation has intensified its campaign and held a rally from Sarabhog in Western Assam’s Barpeta to Bardowa Satra in Central Assam’s Nagaon recently to mobilise public opinion. It even submitted a memorandum to Governor J.B. Patnaik, pleading for immediate restoration of the satras. Mr Barman claims that the state government had announced several schemes for satras but most of them remained on paper.
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