Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Soft Hindutva’ On Display In Gujarat, Visits Three Temples In A Day

Seeking to showcase the Congress soft Hindutva, Rahul Gandhi today (28 September) offered prayers at four temples in Gujarat before wrapping up his three-day visit to the poll-bound state, a move his party said was aimed at countering the hardline Hindutva of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

However, the ruling BJP took a dig at Gandhi, saying the Congress vice-president was visiting temples as his party has failed to win elections.

Gandhi, who had kicked off his tour after offering prayers at the Dwarkadhish temple on Monday, resumed his road-show this morning by trekking up the famous Chotila temple. In the evening, Gandhi visited Khodal Dham temple in Kagvad village to offer prayers to Khodiyar Mata, the reigning deity of the Leuva Patel community. A section of Patels are up in arms against the state's BJP government over their demand for reservation.

On his arrival, Gandhi was greeted by a large number of Patidars, who chanted their signature slogan - Jai Sardar, Jai Patidar to welcome the Congress leader. On his way to Jetpur from Kagvad, Gandhi also paid a visit to a temple dedicated to Dasi Jeevan, revered by Dalits and Buddhists. He also made an unscheduled visit to another shrine - Jalaram temple -in Veerpur in Rajkot district.

In New Delhi, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram deprecated attempts at reading any political meaning into Gandhi's visit to temples. "I don't think you should read political meaning into that. I think there is much else that is happening in his visit to Gujarat. I think we should focus on that," he said.

Commenting on Rahul Gandhi’s visit to temples, Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said the party was deliberately projected as anti-Hindu by the BJP and the RSS. "Rahul Gandhi’s visit to temples during his tour is aimed at countering the hardline Hindutva campaign of BJP and RSS," Doshi said.

However, a state BJP leader said Gandhi was visiting temples as his party was not winning elections. "Rahul Gandhi has started visiting temples and shrines as his party is not winning elections in any state," BJP spokesperson Raju Dhruv said. (PTI)