Katra: Congress leader and Wayanad MP, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday refused to react to BJP’s comments on his planned visit to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine near Katra as “poll time Hindu’’ saying that he does not want to issue a political statement here.
“I have come have to have darshan of the Mata. I do not react to BJP statement..and I do not want to make any political comment here,’’ he said when a media person asked about his reaction to BJP describing his visit as “token Hinduism’’.
“Let us see,’’he replied when another asked him as to what he will be praying for at the shrine.
Congress’Wayanad MP had arrived Jammu by an Air India flight on a two day visit earlier during the day for onward journey to the holy shrine near Katra where he was accorded rousing reception by his party workers .
From Katra, he left for the holy shrine in the Trikuta Hills. He will participate in the evening Arti at the holy shrine and spend the night there, said local Congress leaders. He will return to Jammu on Friday and return to Delhi the same day, they added.
Jammu Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president G A Mir said that Rahul Gandhi wanted to pay obeisance at Mata Vaishnodevi shrine for past many years. “We too have been asking him to visit here for past three years, but he could not in view of the political situation prevailing in the Union Territory,’’ he said, adding that as the situation slightly improved, he decided to first pay obeisance at the shrine.
Many leaders use choppers and horses to visit the holy shrine, but Rahul Gandhi has made up his mind that he will walk on foot from Katra to the cave, Mir said. Next day, he will again come down on foot, Mir said, adding “as the Wayanad MP has special faith in Mata Vaishnodevi, we have not scheduled any political engagements for him on the first day on his visit’’.
On the second day also when he returns to Jammu, the Congress leader is scheduled to have a meeting with party leaders and workers before returning to Delhi, sources said.
Rahul Gandhi also plans to visit Ladakh, sources said, pointing out that today’s was his second visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Earlier last month, he had visited Srinagar where he had visited the shrines of Khir Bhawani and Hazratbal, apart from inaugurating party’s new office.
