On the occasion of National Youth Day, celebrated to commemorate one of the great scholars and thinkers Swami Vivekananda, the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was caught in a fix.
Addressing a gathering of National Yuva Divas at ITA Machkhowa in Guwahati, Chief Minister Sarma was heard saying that Swami Vivekananda came to Assam and visited Kamakhya temple in April 2001.
However, Swami Vivekananda passed away on 4 July 1902 making it impossible for him to substantiate the claim made by CM Sarma.
However, it must be noted that Swami Vivekananda did indeed visit Assam but in April 1901, a year before his death and almost 122 years ago.
Swami Vivekananda is said to have given an utterly moving speech that not only inspired his fellow Indians but also the then Chief Commissioner of undivided Assam, Sir Henry Cotton.
The speech was delivered at the Quinton Memorial Hall at Shillong which later came to be known as the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Cultural Centre (RKMVCC).
