Modi not going to Assam on Jan 10 to open 'Khelo India'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not be coming to Guwahati on January 10 to declare open the "Khelo India" Games at the state capital due to "lack of time", a senior BJP leader said on Wednesday.

"It (the visit) is cancelled," Assam BJP spokesman Dewan Dhruba Jyoti Maral told IANS.

Maral said the state government had approached the Prime Minister, but the visit did not happen as Modi could not find time.

"The state government approached him. But he cannot give time," he said.

State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, said the state government had not received any programme of the Prime Minister at the first place.

"We had not received any programme of PM. So without confirmation at the first place how can there be cancellation?" Sarma told IANS.

The news of the Prime Minister not coming to Guwahati for the Games comes amidst the ongoing protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The All Assam Students Union (AASU), which is spearheading the protests against the new citizenship law, had warned of mass protests if Modi came here for the Games.IANS