Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, arrived in Nepal's capital today.
The Congress chief landed in Kathmandu at around 2:00 pm and checked into a hotel, Nepalese media reported.
He will stay over at Kathmandu today before heading to Nepalgunj tomorrow. It has been learnt that he will leave for Mansarovar via Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, the Himalayan Times reported.
Mr Gandhi, 48, arrived in Kathmandu on the same day as Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned home after attending the fourth BIMSTEC summit.
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 31, 2018
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय।
मृत्योर्मामृतम् गमय।
ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति: ॥ pic.twitter.com/hSSLfdwDjq
He is undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in accordance with a wish he expressed in April when his plane plunged hundreds of feet during the campaign for the Karnataka polls.
On April 26, the plane carrying Mr Gandhi and some others from Delhi to Hubballi airport in Karnataka developed a technical problem and tilted heavily on the left side. The plane dipped steeply with violent shuddering, but soon recovered and landed safely.
Three days later, on April 29, Mr Gandhi announced during a rally that he wanted to undertake the pilgrimage.
The arduous pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, which is considered the abode of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology and is in the Tibetan Himalayas, is organised every year between June and September.
BJP MOCKS RAHUL ON KAILASH MANSAROVAR VISIT, CALLS HIM CHINESE GANDHI
Coming down heavily on Rahul Gandhi on his Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said that the Congress president is obsessed with China.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, while addressing a media briefing, asked Gandhi why he is behaving like a Chinese spokesperson and took a dig by reminding him that he is "Rahul Gandhi, not Chinese Gandhi".
Rahul Gandhi has left for China via Nepal. Rahul ji has an obsession for China. Why is it that Mr. Gandhi always wants to get a Chinese view on everything but does not want to have an Indian perspective? Which politicians will he meet there? : Sambit Patra,BJP pic.twitter.com/8c2Un2QssC
— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2018
Patra said, "Why did Rahul Gandhi want the Chinese Ambassador to India to give him a ceremonial see-off at the Indira Gandhi International Airport? Why is Mr. Rahul Gandhi behaving like a Chinese spokesperson rather than an Indian spokesperson? Why is Mr Rahul Gandhi holding the brief of China across the globe? He advertises China as if he is the advertising man hired to advertise China. You are Rahul Gandhi, not Chinese Gandhi. Rahul ji has an obsession with China."
"Why is it that Mr Gandhi always wants to get a Chinese view on everything but does not want to have an Indian perspective? Which politicians will he meet there?" he added.
The BJP leader alleged that UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her entire family were given a ceremonial reception by the Chinese government in the 2008 Olympics. The BJP leader used a Bollywood song to launch an attack in this regard and said, "Yeh rishta kya kehlata hai? (What does this relationship mean?)"
The BJP spokesperson also criticised Gandhi for describing Doklam stand-off as 'Dhokhalam'.
"During his recent Europe tour, he was asked about the Doklam issue. Rahul Gandhi refused to comment saying he has no knowledge about it. When you had no knowledge about it then how did you make such a serious allegation on the government?" Patra said.
