A statement from the Press Information Bureau has triggered speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not inaugurate the Khelo India Youth Games starting in Guwahati on Friday.
If confirmed, this would be the second time a visit by Modi to Assam has been cancelled in less than 30 days. Modi was to hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on December 15-17 in Guwahati, but the Japanese leader's visit was deferred due to the outbreak of violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The PIB statement claimed the Khelo India Youth Games will be inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. The statement omits any reference to Modi. Modi had been invited for the event in December itself. The Prime Minister's Office has not commented officially on Modi cancelling his Assam trip.
Media publications in Assam reported that groups opposed to the Citizenship Act would stage mass protests if Modi arrived in Guwahati for the Khelo India Games. At a rally of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) in Guwahati on January 5, one of the outfit's leaders coined a slogan "Khelo India, Bhago Modi", adding the prime minister should be ready to face people's wrath if he came to the state.
The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) had also threatened protests if Modi visited Assam for the Khelo India Games. An AASU leader told The Times of India that people in Assam were happy the Khelo India Games were being held in Guwahati, but they held "different feelings" for Modi.
"While we won't do anything to disturb Khelo India, we will hold peaceful protests if the PM visits Assam during the games," AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjee told The Times of India.
The Times of India quoted sources as saying that the Prime Minister's Office decided to skip the inauguration of the Khelo India Games after a section of the crowd at the first T20I match against Sri Lanka in Guwahati—which was abandoned—had booed Sonowal and Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
However, the state government is hopeful Modi could still visit the Khelo India Games. The Economic Times quoted a state government official as saying that the administration was seeing "if we can extend the invitation to him for the closing ceremony on January 22".
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This will be the third edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, which began in 2018 as an initiative to boost interest and participation in sports among children and youth.
A total of 6,800 athletes will compete in 20 sports during the Guwahati edition of the Khelo India Youth Games. The inauguration ceremony will be held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium.
