Rahul Gandhi visits Sivagiri Mutt, Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kollam today

Kollam: Leading his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday visited Sivagiri Mutt here to pay respects to Sree Narayana Guru.

He will spend the fourth day of the yatra in Kollam.

At Sivagiri Mutt, Rahul was welcomed warmly by the swamis there. "We are happy to receive the Congress leader who did not wait for an official invitation," said Sivagir Dharma Sangham Trust President Swami Satchidananda.

Though Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi had visited Sivagiri Mutt earlier, this was Rahul's first visit and no one should give political colour to it, said Opposition leader VD Satheesan.

The yatra, which began after 7.30 am from Navaikulam junction here, continued to witness an encouraging turnout. During the day he is scheduled to speak to students in the afternoon.

On Tuesday, after that day's yatra ended at Kallambalam junction here, Gandhi questioned how a party that calls itself a representative of Hindus was allegedly spreading 'ashanti' in the country when the first word taught in Hinduism is 'om shanti'.

"Wherever they are going they are destroying harmony, they are attacking people, they are dividing people, abusing them," he had said.

The 150-day foot march was launched from Kanyakumari in neighbouring Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will cover 12 states and two Union territories.

(With PTI inputs)