Guwahati, March 17: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was in Assam to campaign for the Assembly elections on Wednesday said the 15th-century polymath Srimanta Sankardev was among the first “sanskritik rashtravaad (cultural nationalist)” who protected this land.

“I salute to this land which is also the land of one of India’s pioneers in Sanskritik Rashtravaad Srimanta Sankardev. Because of him, this land was saved,” Adityanath, said addressing a crowd in central Assam’s Hojai district on Wednesday.

In Assam, Sankardev was mostly associated with the Neo-Vashnavite movement who had propagated Ekasarana Dharma (Shelter in one religion) that rejects focus on Vedic ritualism and instead focuses on devotion in the form of congregational listening and singing at Naam Ghar, a common place.

Adityanath during his speech set an imaginary situation in which Congress were around in the 15th Century, to criticise the same.

“If Congress were around then, they would have allowed in ghuspaithi (infiltrators) and would have made this land a threat to India’s integrity like it has done now in several parts of the country. But, I am glad Srimanta Xankardev was around who had contributed in protecting this land,” Adityanath said.

He was in Assam to campaign for the BJP in three western Assam constituencies, Hojai, Kalaigaon, and Rangiya that goes for poll im the third phase on April 6.

The minister arrived at 11.30 am in Lanka of Hojai, where candidate Ramkrisha Ghosh will contest elections, followed by which at 1 pm Adityanath addressed another gathering at Kalaigaon for the BJP candidate, Madhuram Deka.

The visit of Aadityanath, who is often touted as the “Hindutva Hero”, was crucial mostly in Hojai that is considered the nerve centre of “Hindu nationalism” and a major ground for the BJP’s ideological parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Assam.

Before coming to Hojai, Adityanath also visited The Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hill in Guwahati.

“The Kamakhya temple enjoyed the slogan of Jai Shree Ram. The dream of Ram Mandir is also about to be fulfilled under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. India’s work cannot run without Ram,” Adityanath said in his Hojai address.