Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat has criticised the planned laser show, the form of lord Shiva to be depicted in the show and apparent attempts to encourage recreational show at Kedarnath. He stressed that he is not against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Kedarnath on April 29 when the portals of the shrine are to be reopened for the public. However, he said that the programme planned by the Government is questionable. Rawat was also slated to trek to Kedarnath and arrive there on April 29 but has changed his plan in view of the PM’s visit.
He said, “I have nothing against the prime minister’s visit to Kedarnath. However, I strongly object to holding a laser show in Kedarnath because that is a revered centre of faith where such recreational shows should not be held. Such shows could be held in Haridwar, Rishikesh or elsewhere but not in Kedarnath. According to our scriptures, the lord is present in a living form in Badrinath and Kedarnath so there is no need for imagery to depict the lord in Kedarnath.
Secondly, in the planned show, they are depicting the lord in his three-eyed and Nataraja forms associated with destructive aspects whereas in our mountains Shiva is worshipped in his benevolent form as a protector. I had earlier planned to trek to Kedarnath and reach there on April 29. But since the PM is also reaching on that day I have changed my plan.
If I reach Kedarnath on the same day, I am bound to express my protest against the show, which is why I have changed my plan,” he added.
Regarding Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Kedarnath in the past, he said that he had trekked to Kedarnath to pay his obeisance to the lord.