Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday visited Golden Temple in Punjab’s Amritsar to offer his prayers and volunteer service or ‘sewa‘ at the temple.

The former Congress President landed at the airport a 11:15 am and is in the city on a personal visit, said Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.

Taking to the microblogging site X, Warring wrote “Shri @RahulGandhi ji is coming to Amritsar Sahib to pay obeisance at Sachkhand Shri Harmandir Sahib. This is his personal, spiritual visit, let’s respect his privacy. Request all party workers to not be physically present for this visit. You all can show your support in spirit & meet him the next time. Satnaam Shri Waheguru.”

Standing amid a slew of people, Gandhi was also seen — with folded hands — offering his prayers at the sanctum sanctorum of Amritsar’s Golden Temple.

After paying obeisance, he visited the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, and also performed ‘sewa’ (voluntary service) by cleaning water bowls used by devotees. Sitting among several other devotees, Gandhi was seen washing utensils.

Gandhi is expected to spend some more time at the shrine performing sewa. It is also likely, that he will attend the ritual of ‘palki sewa’ on Tuesday morning.

According to an Indian Express report, Congress leader Bhagwantpal Singh Sachar had earlier said that “He will visit the Darbar Sahib to pay his respects. Later, he will participate in volunteer activities such as washing utensils. So far, we only have information about his plans at Darbar Sahib.”

Sachhar added that Gandhi has booked a room at a private hotel near Darbar Sahib, while only one room is booked at the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Inn for Rahul Gandhi. Alternative arrangements have been made at the private hotel for Gandhi’s security personnel, Sachhar said.

Gandhi’s visit comes in the backdrop of an on-going tussle between the Congress’ state unit and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party over the arrest of party MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira in a 2015 drug case. Some of the party leaders have also opposed the alliance with AAP for the 2024 general elections.

Rahul Gandhi had previously visited the Golden Temple before kickstarting the Punjab leg of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. He flew down to Amritsar a day prior to pay his obeisance at the temple, following which he returned to Punjab’s Sirhind to begin the footmarch.

(With PTI inputs)