Rahul begins Punjab visit with a surprise

He is the first male scion of the Gandhi family to have visited the Golden Temple after the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi had visited the Golden Temple in 1999 and, as in the case of Rahul Gandhi today, was not offered a siropa by the SGPC.

Attired in his characteristic white kurta pyjama and saffron headgear, Rahul took a round of the parikrama of the Golden Temple. The employees of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee SGPC led him to the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine, where he spent at least half an hour listening to the shabad kirtan.

He later partook the langar and evinced keen interest in the various innovative methods used to prepare the langar. He wanted to visit the Sikh museum, but was running short of time. He was also not given a siropa usually given to VIPs visiting the shrine.

Addressing mediapersons on this occasion, Rahul said he had paid obeisance here to seek blessings for the success of his visit to the state. 8220;It has always been my heartfelt desire to visit the shrine, which has been fulfilled today,8221; he said. Rahul Gandhi later paid tributes to the martyrs of the freedom struggle at Jallianwala Bagh, apart from paying obeisance at the Durgiana Temple. During his visit to the state, Rahul Gandhi is likely to launch an awareness campaign regarding the Indo-US nuclear deal, besides holding road shows in Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Sangrur with a view to boost the ongoing recruitment drive in the Youth Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.