Priyanka Gandhi takes holy dip in Sangam, performs puja on Mauni Amavasya

PRAYAGRAJ, February 11 (HS): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took a holy dip at Sangam on Thursday on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya in Prayagraj. Priyanka was accompanied by her daughter Miraya and Congress MLA Aradhana Mishra. While returning from the Sangam, she was seen assisting a boatman in rowing. In images, the Congress leader was seen taking a dip and offering prayers, surrounded by aides. She was also seen on the boat back to the banks; she was seen taking the oars and rowing for a bit. The arrival of Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra led to the mammoth crowd sweating and gasping for breath right outside Sangam. People jostled with each other to shake hands with Gandhi and catch a glimpse of her. Cops remained on toes but she wasn’t accorded VIP treatment as administration had denied her the protocol citing huge rush of devotees on Mauni Amavasya.

People started running amok to catch a glimpse of Priyanka, which led to panic and chaos for nearly half an hour. Barricading at Sangam was uprooted during mob frenzy and several people sustained injuries in a stampede like situation. Cops and security guards somehow made way for her and she then proceeded towards the Arail Ghat and met Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand at the Mankameshwar ghat.”

She earlier visited Anand Bhawan , where overzealous party workers and supporters raised slogans lauding her as ‘daughter of Allahabad.’ She paid homage to her grandfather and late Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru at Anand Bhawan, which had been the Nehru family’s residence in the past but it has now been converted into a museum showcasing various artefacts related to the Independence Movement of India. Priyanka offered flowers at the place where mortal remains of Nehru were kept before being immersed in the Sangam.

She also met orphan kids at Anand Bhawan and interacted with them, while holding a girl in her lap. During her visit to Allahabad she kept a distance from media and shied away from responding to their queries. ‘Mum was the word for Priyankaji as she is observing maun (silence) on Mauni Amavasya,’ said UPCC Spokesperson, Kishore Varshney, who added that interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had also taken a holy dip at the Sangam.

Speaking on her visit, KP Singh, IG Prayagraj said, “As today is the peak day for Magh Mela (on Mauni Amavasya), we have not given VIP treatment to anyone. There is no protocol, they came like a normal person and participated in the rituals.” “No political program was planned regarding her visit. She returned to Delhi by a special flight in the evening,” said Pavez Siddiqui, incharge, Congress minority cell, Allahabad.