Guwahati: The Assam government would consider banning entry of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) general secretary Praveen Togadia to the state in the interest of peace and security, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said.

"If necessary, we will consider banning his next visit if it is found that it disturbs peace and communal harmony prevailing among all members of community in the state," Gogoi told a press conference on June 10.

Voicing serious concern at the "highly communal" remarks made by the VHP leader at a rally in Guwahati on June 8, the Chief Minister alleged that Togadia was promoting hatred and it was surprising how several Union Ministers, including Bijoya Chakravarty, attended that rally.

"The VHP leader even went to the extent of saying that secularism should be thrown in river Brahmaputra, which was highly provocative and anti-Constitutional," he said.

"This is not an insult to the Constitution, but even to great Assamese saint Srimanta Sankaradeva and the people of the state should give a fitting reply," the Chief Minister said.

PTI