In a journey redolent with symbolism, religious and political, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi commenced an arduous 16-km long trek on Thursday to pay his obeisance at the temple at Kedarnath, the most remote of the four Char Dham sites: he will be there at the start of the pilgrimage season on Friday at 8.30 am.
At the request of Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who is accompanying him, Mr. Gandhi is making this journey nearly two years after Kedarnath, and the temple there, one of the holiest centres for Hindus, was devastated by flash floods following torrential rains in Uttarakhand in 2013.
Mr. Gandhi’s pilgrimage appears to be part of a carefully choreographed move that is both part of his personal makeover as well as that of his party that suffered its worst ever electoral defeat in the Lok Sabha polls last year.
Indeed, while the Congress’ heir apparent has undertaken it as part of his “personal faith”, it is also intended to address one of the accusations that the BJP successfully made against the Congress — that it was “too pro-minority” and “anti-Hindu” – during last year’s elections.
Correcting ‘pro-minority’ image
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s pilgrimage appears to be part of a carefully choreographed move that is both part of his personal makeover as well as that of his party that suffered its worst electoral defeat in the Lok Sabha polls last year.
Indeed, while the Congress’ heir apparent has undertaken it as part of his “personal faith”, it is also intended to address one of the accusations that the BJP successfully made against the Congress — that it was “too pro-minority” and “anti-Hindu” – during last year’s elections.
This issue has been repeatedly raised in many post-election discussions within the Congress, with some senior leaders even stressing that the party needs to do something that will change the perception that it is anti-Hindu.
For a party for which secularism is a core value, and protection of minorities a priority, coming to grips with this situation has been tough.
Indeed, this week in Parliament, on two consecutive days, when the issue of overtly communal statements made by rightwing Hindu leaders, and vandalisation of churches came up in the Lok Sabha, the Congress was at the forefront of the attack on the government for failing to check such assaults on minorities.
Mr. Gandhi’s pilgrimage is timed well, as it comes just a day after. Indeed, on Thursday, many senior Congress leaders expressed their approval of the gesture, one that recalled those made by his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, who was never seen without her rudraksh mala.
This journey also has political significance: Uttarakhand is one of the few States still ruled by the Congress, and elections are due there in 2017.
(Additional reporting from Kavita Upadhyay)
