By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 2 Aug: After the appeal made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress’s ‘Kedarnath Dham Pratishtha Raksha Yatra’ has been postponed. This padyatra was launched from Haridwar Har Ki Pauri on 24 July under the leadership of the state president Karan Mahara. Today the march reached Sitapur in Rudraprayag district on the tenth day. Here, PCC Chief Mahara announced that the Yatra has been postponed due to the natural calamity in Kedar Valley. He further claimed that the Yatra had been postponed at the request of Rahul Gandhi.
On reaching Sitapur, Mahara hoisted the flag with party workers this morning and then observed silence for the peace of the souls of those who lost their lives in the disaster in the past 48 hours. After that, he cited the instructions of the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. He claimed that Gandhi, expressing concern over the disaster in Kedar Valley, has appealed to all that the Kedarnath Dham Pratishtha Raksha Yatra should be postponed till the situation becomes normal. Mahara added that Gandhi has instructed all party workers to engage in disaster relief work. Senior vice president of the PCC Mathura Dutt Joshi said that state president Karan Mahara expressed his gratitude to all the party workers and leaders involved in the yatra. Mahara praised the determination shown by walking two hundred kilometres for ten consecutive days. Mahara said that Congress wanted to complete the Yatra in this phase itself but the conditions that have arisen due to the disaster call for the Congress to get involved in helping the disaster affected people and after the situation becomes normal, the party will start the yatra again from Sitapur.
Reacting to the BJP’s reaction regarding the postponement of the Yatra, Congress state general secretary Naveen Joshi claimed that the BJP has never undertaken any yatra, so it does not know its importance. He said that Mahatma Gandhi undertook the biggest ever yatra for the independence of the country. Joshi added that after this, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to send across give the message of unity in the country. Now Kedarnath Pratishtha Padyatra was being taken out under the leadership of Karan Mahara. Joshi claimed that the disaster had struck Kedarnath due to the actions of BJP. He also claimed that everyone is suffering the punishment for the alleged theft of gold in Kedarnath Dham. The yatra, when resumed, will conclude with Jalabhishek and worship in Kedarnath Dham.
On the other hand, BJP has described the Congress’ Kedarnath Dham Pratishtha Raksha Yatra as a picnic. BJP state spokesperson Vinod Suyal said that Congress had definitely not gone on a yatra but on a picnic. During the Congress Jan Yatra, people were seen having fun in the swimming pools of big hotels along the way from where the Yatra passed and that Congress leaders were enjoying in the name of yatra by taking the name of God. He added that the prestige of Kedarnath remains intact due to the blessings of Baba Kedar and not because of any political event of Congress. It is funny that Congress is claiming to save the prestige of Kedarnath through this Yatra when the actions of the Congress have been anti Sanatan through history.
