Rahul Gandhi will undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in accordance with a wish he expressed in April when his plane plunged hundreds of feet during the campaign for the Karnataka polls.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday left the national capital to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in accordance with a wish he expressed in April when his plane plunged hundreds of feet during the campaign for the Karnataka polls.
The pilgrimage, aimed at seeking the blessing of Lord Shiva for prosperity and success of the country and its people, will take about 12-15 days, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
He did not disclose the route map due to security reasons.
"Shiv bhakt Congress president Rahul Gandhi has left for undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, where he will take the 'parikarma' of Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, and of Mansarovar lake. The yatra will take around 12 to 15 days, but the exact route cannot be disclosed due to security reasons," he said.
"Congress President, Shri @RahulGandhi is undertaking a religious & spiritual journey to the abode of Lord Shiva, Kailash Mansarovar, starting today. All countrymen have extended their wishes to Shiv Bhakt, Rahulji for this holy journey to seek Lord Shiva's blessings. Rahulji had vowed to undertake the ardous & spiritual journey to Kailash Mansarovar after a near fatal air accident that was averted during Karnataka elections, as is now confirmed by the DGCA report," Surjewala said in a series of tweets.
The Congress leader also accused the BJP of trying to create "hurdles" in the yatra.
"Rahulji seeks Lord Shiva's grace for all fellow countrymen. An unnerved PM & a rattled BJP have shown their parochial-hateful mindset by mocking this sacrosant religious journey of Rahulji to Maha Kailash. Calling this auspicious Yatra "honeymoon tourism" by BJP is the vilest attack on Hindu faith and beliefs. It is indeed sad and tragic that BJP is insulting the abode of Lord Shiva & Maa Parvati by such cheap political tactics. We pray that Mahadeva shows them the path of enlightenment to cleanse their minds and souls from the vile hatred," Surjewala said.
Earlier today, the BJP targeted Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Mansarovar Yatra, where he’d be going via China. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra attacked Rahul Gandhi and wondered why the Congress president spoke in China’s ‘voice’ and called him ‘Chinese Gandhi’.
In a cryptic response to BJP's criticism, Rahul tweeted a Sanskrit shloka. "ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय। तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय। मृत्योर्मामृतम् गमय। ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ॥ (Oh Almighty! Lead us from the unreal (falsity) to the real (truth), from darkness to light! From death to immortality! Oh Almighty! May there be Peace! Peace! Peace!), Mr Gandhi tweeted.
The shloka is taken from the Upanishads.
The arduous pilgrimage to Mt Kailash, which is considered the abode of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology and is in the Tibetan Himalayas, is organised every year between June and September.
On April 26, the plane carrying Gandhi and some others from Delhi to Hubballi airport in Karnataka developed a technical problem and tilted heavily on the left side. The plane dipped steeply with violent shuddering, but soon recovered and landed safely.
Three days later, on April 29, Gandhi announced during a rally here that he wanted to undertake the pilgrimage.
(With PTI inputs)
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