Ganderbal, August 10: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday offered prayers at Kheer Bhawani temple located in Tulmulla village, Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The theme background of our party has always been secularism. Gandhi family's routes are also connected to Kashmir. Though the migration happened four to five generations ago, all the Congress leaders from Gandhi family have given special attention to Kashmir owing to its special status," said the Congress leader Raman Mattoo on Gandhi's visit. Also Read | Delhi Weather Update: No Rainfall Likely to Occur for One Week, Says IMD.

"Not only this temple, Rahul will also visit Hazrat Dargah Sharif after this. It is not only about paying obeisance to one deity or another but also spreading the message of secularism through his visit," he added. Also Read | Tesla Aims To Sell 20 Million Electric Vehicles per Year by 2030.

"Kheer Bhawani temple has been famous for decades. It is good that Rahul Gandhi is visiting here as it will make the village more lively. This temple does not only belong to Hindus as Kheer Bhawani Mela is incomplete without 30-40 per cent of Muslims present there," said a Muslim local.

He further stated that Gandhi should also interact with local people there. "Praying to Mata is good. But to make this this visit more meaningful he should interact with people here," he said. Meanwhile, Gandhi performed a pooja in the temple and sought Goddess Kheer Bhawani's blessings.

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)