Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday silenced his detractors, particularly the BJP, by “revealing” his Gotra that has been questioned umpteen number of times by the ruling party leading to intense debate over his religion lineage.

During his visit to Pushkar temple in Rajasthan in the midst of Assembly election campaign, Rahul said that he is a Kaul Brahmin and he belongs to Dattatreya Gotra.

“I am a Kaul Brahmin and belong to Dattatreya Gotra,” the priest mentioned quoting Rahul.

After revealing his gotra, Rahul was allowed to offer prayers at the lone Brahma temple of the world. When Rahul took to temple visits, including Kailash Mansarovar, the BJP tried to create controversy and sought to know Rahul’s gotra.

A temple priest in Pushkar who assisted Rahul in performing his puja, revealed that Rahul belongs to Dattatreya gotra and that he is a Brahmin from Kashmir.

The priest also shared an instance about an entry made at Pushkar around 15 years ago by the Gandhi family.

Last year in the run-up to Gujarat polls, the BJP had criticised Rahul for his temple visits. To this, Rahul had responded by saying he is a Shiv bhakt. “Main Shiv ka bhakt hoon, sachaai mein believe karta hoon. BJP jo bhi bole main apni sachaai mein believe karta hoon (I am a devotee of Shiv. The BJP may say anything, but I will remain honest),” Rahul had retorted.

A massive controversy had erupted when the Congress president on his visit to the Somnath temple in Gujarat registered as a non-Hindu.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of celebration of Constitution Day on Monday, Rahul alleged that the present regime is conspiring to destroy the Constitution. Colours of the Constitution are “engrained in every part of us”, Rahul said on Twitter.

“The Constitution of India is the hallmark of both our struggle and existence. It is our philosophy. It is our pride... Let those who conspire to annihilate it know that neither do they have the capacity to do so nor will the Congress party and I ever allow them...,” Rahul tweeted.

Constitution Day, also known as Samvidhan Divas, is celebrated on November 26 to commemorate the Constitution’s adoption by the Constituent Assembly on

November 26, 1949. The Indian Constitution came into effect on January 26, 1950.