Rahul Gandhi’s Jammu visit begins today, to go to Mata Vaishno Devi on foot from Katra

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will go to Mata Vishno Devi Temple on foot from Katra during his Jammu visit beginning Thursday, said party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit President Ghulam Ahmed Mir.

Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee President Mir said that Gandhi has special faith in the holy temple and he wanted to visit Vishno Devi Temple for the past many years.

“We have been asking Rahul Gandhi for the past three years. He also wanted to come, but the political situation was such that he cannot visit. Now that the situation has slightly improved, he visited Srinagar last month and will visit Jammu on September 9 and September 10. The first this he will do is that he will pay obeisance to Mata Vaishno Devi,” said Mir.

“Though many leaders visit the holy temple, they use choppers and horses. We believe Rahul Gandhi has made his mind that he will walk on foot from Katra to the temple, pay obeisance, and participate in the Arti. The next day he will again come down on foot. He has special faith in Mata Vishno Devi, that is why we have not scheduled any political engagements for him on the first day of his visit,” he added.

Further informing about Gandhi’s panned political engagements in Jammu, Mir said from Katra, the Wayanad MP will go to Jammu by car and attend a small party function there.

“We have not stopped any Congress worker to organise small programmes to welcome Gandhi on his way to Jammu from Katra. After the party function in Jammu, Gandhi will also interact with some local party leaders,” he said.

Mir further informed that after this short visit to Jammu, Rahul Gandhi is also planning to visit Ladakh.

“He also plans to visit all districts after the situation is better in the areas and try to highlight the people of problems on the ground,” he added.

Notably, this will be Rahul Gandhi’s second visit to Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. Earlier, he visited the union territory on August 9.

During his last visit, Rahul Gandhi inaugurated the new party office in Srinagar. He also visited Kheer Bhawani temple and Hazrat Dargah Sharif.

In August 2019, the Centre had abrogated Article 370 which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the region into two territories– Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.