Rahul Gandhi seeks Lord Hanuman's blessings before entering Amethi, BJP calls temple visit a 'show'

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday began his two-day tour of Uttar Pradesh with a visit to a famous Hanuman temple before entering his parliamentary constituency Amethi. The Congress president offered prayers at the Churva Hanuman Mandir at Bachchrawa en route Amethi from Lucknow.

A few BJP local leaders and workers tried to show him black flags and indulged in clashes with Congressmen at Salon where Rahul addressed a ‘nukkad sabha’. Police used mild force to separate the clashing groups. A few BJP supported traders raised anti-Rahul slogans and downed their shutters in protest against the alleged attack on BJP workers.

Rahul also took part in a ‘khichdi puja’ on the occasion of ‘makar sankranti’ at Salon in his mother’s parliamentary constituency Raebareli.

Taking a dig at the Congress president, the BJP said Rahul's temple visit was "just for show".

BJP general secretary Arun Singh said if Gandhi was serious about visiting temples, he would have gone to one for blessings when he was elevated to the post of party president.

"It is our tradition that we go to temples and seek divine blessings after assuming a new responsibility. He did not go to any temple when he became Congress president while he had been visiting temples during the Gujarat polls. It just highlights that his temple visits are just for show," Singh said. 

A poster war between Congress and the BJP also ensued on Rahul's visit. In one of the posters, Congress workers described Rahul as Lord Ram and Modi Ravana and predicted ‘Rahul Raj’ in 2019. In another poster, Rahul was shown as Lord Krishna and UPCC President Raj Babbar as Arjun. The BJP workers, on the other hand, countered the Congress by putting up posters to welcome “a missing MP in his parliamentary constituency”.

Unfazed by the BJP protest and black flags, the AICC President alleged that both the Modi and Yogi governments have failed to deliver results. “Both talks big and do lip service instead of working for the development of the farmers, youth and the poor both governments are at the disposal of the rich and corporate houses. Development has come to a halt and unemployment is on the rise,” he charged.

Amidst big applause, Rahul promised to set-up the Mega Food Park in Amethi when Congress returns to power.

“Both Modi and Yogi governments are pursuing politics of hatred to divide people and the country. We will set-up the Food Park and finish other projects started by the Congress government,” he promised.

Rahul is on a two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency, first after becoming AICC President. He was given a warm welcome by UPCC President Raj Babbar, senior party leaders and hundreds of workers at the Amausi Airport in Lucknow from where he went by road to Amethi.

On the way, he asked his convoy to stop at a tea stall in Nigoha where the AICC president had ‘kulhad ki chai’, hot boiling ‘pakauris’ and crispy samosas. He also held a conversation with local people to take political pulse of the area.

As his entourage neared Bachchrawan, border to Rae Bareli and Amethi, Rahul again signaled to stop. Sporting a ‘bhagwa’ (saffron) scarf, he straight away went to the famous Lord Hanuman temple at Churva. He paid obeisance, sought blessings of Lord Hanuman and accepted ‘ladoos’ as ‘prasad’ before crossing over to his parliamentary constituency.

At several places, people were queued up to congratulate him for taking over party’s reigns in his hands. At Harchandpur, he stopped at a school, had a chat with students and gave them autograph. 

He will tomorrow visit Mushafirkhana, Gauriganj, Jais, Jagdishpur town. After addressing a meeting at Tiloi, he will return to Delhi.