Rajasthan Election 2018: Rahul Gandhi responds to BJP's attack, reveals his 'caste' during puja at Brahma temple in Pushkar
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been attacked by the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) several times for wearing 'Janeu' and asking him to reveal his caste. On Monday, Rahul Gandhi responded to BJP and revealed his 'gotra' or caste as Kaul Brahmin during a puja ceremony in Rajasthan's Pushkar.
Gandhi had earlier claimed himself to be an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and a twice-born Hindu (janeu dhari). According to the document signed by the Congress chief in the ancient Brahma Temple in Pushkar, Rahul Gandhi is a Kaul Brahim. Gandhi performed the puja under the Dattatreya Gotra.
However, the information about the Gandhi family in the temple records revealed that Rahul Gandhi is a Kashmiri Brahmin.
Rahul Gandhi wrote in the register: "I Rahul Gandhi, son of Shri Rajiv Gandhi, have happily come to Pushkar for puja ceremony today on 26/11/2018. My hear is filled with joy after performing puja through my kul purohit Dinnanath Kaul and Rajnath Kaul. I pray for calm and peace in India and the world." Rahul Gandhi signed his name in English at the bottom of the document.
As per reports, among the members of the Gandhi family, Rajiv Gandhi visited the temple during his tenure as the prime minister on June 6, 1989, and then later on May 2, 1991 - 19 days before his assassination. On his last trip, then state CM Shiv Charan Mathur and Ashok Gehlot had accompanied him. Sonia Gandhi visited the holy city for offering her prayers on November 17, 1998, and June 14, 2003. Indira Gandhi had last paid a visit to the holy city on May 17, 1980.
First published: 26 November 2018, 17:12 IST