Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Assam, Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.
Credit: X/AICC
Guwahati: On the day when the Ram temple will be inaugurated, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will spend time at the Bordowa Xatra in Assam, the birthplace of the region’s tallest religious and social reformer and preacher Sankardev who founded a sect of Hinduism that denounced idolatry and casteism. Party leaders said that this is part of a concerted effort by Gandhi to posit a separate face of Hinduism in front of BJP’s brand of the religion.
“On Monday, Rahul ji will start the day with a visit to the monastery at Bordowa, where he will seek blessings; the Yatra will then move on to Morigaon,” Assam PCC chief Bhupen Bora said.
After the visit to the Xatra, Gandhi will carry out a padyatra of over 2 kilometres inside Morigaon town, after which the yatris will take a break. There will then be a flag handover ceremony at the Assam-Meghalaya border at Jorabat on the outskirts of Guwahati, after which the Yatra will enter Meghalaya. In Meghalaya, after a padyatra at Nongpoh, Gandhi will spend the night at Ri Bhoi.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said that Sankardev was one of India's “greatest religious leaders, social reformers and cultural figures”.
“A 15th-16th century personality he continues to be a source of inspiration to people not only in Assam but all over our country. His life and teachings have acquired even greater significance now,” the post read.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that Gandhi has spoken of Sankardev in his previous speeches and visits. “He has spoken of the inclusive ideals of Sankardev, the philosophy of neo-Vaishnavism. In his first speech as he entered Assam at Amguri on Thursday, he mentioned Sankardev,” said Gogoi.
Before Rahul, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, too, had visited the monastery. Gogoi said the management of the thaan (monastery) were elated to have Gandhi visit them.
While several senior party leaders remained tight-lipped about the party’s plans for the D-Day, a senior party leader said that Gandhi is trying to present a different form of the religion — one that presents religion not defined by dogma and ritual but by a spiritual approach.
In his earlier speeches, he has spoken about the teachings of religious leaders like Narayan Guru and Basavanna, and even tribal leader Birsa Munda.
“He is presenting a form of religious practice which is based on the premise of social justice and spiritual connection with god. He often talks of ‘Tapasya’ and not ‘Pooja’,” said a senior Congress leader close to Gandhi.
The leader added that Gandhi has previously said that he believes in Shiva.
“But his relationship with religion is personal and he doesn’t do politics over it. He is seen as proponent of teachings of religious leaders like Narayan Guru and Basavanna, who were social reformers who took on Brahmanical beliefs, and even tribal leader Birsa Munda who he has referred to as ‘Bhagwan’,” the leader added.
On Friday, Gandhi also visited the Auniati Xatra and the Kamalabari Xatra, both prominent hubs of the Ekasarna Dharma, the sect founded by Sankardev.
The Congress has refused to be part of the pran pratishtha of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, saying that the event has been politicised by the BJP-RSS combine. The refusal has brought a fair amount of criticism for the Congress, and critics say that this will serve a blow to them in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, the Congress has stood its ground.
In a press conference at Nagaland, Gandhi addressed the issue and said that he personally believes that one who has faith in a religion should live by the ideals of the faith.
“I don’t try to use my religion; I have no interest in that. We stand by the ideals of all religions,” Gandhi had said.
On Saturday, Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Arunachal at Gumto and he is slated to spend the night at a village called Chimpu in Itanagar.