Seva Dal to revive ‘prabhat pheri’ to breathe life into UP Congress 

Seeking to infuse a new vigour into the Uttar Pradesh Congress ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party's Seva Dal will soon revive the "prabhat pheri" (early morning rounds) across the state.

The tradition dates back to the pre-Independence era in which people from villages used to move in groups before dawn, singing "bhajans" or devotional songs. It, however, gradually lost out to the modern lifestyle.

"The brainchild behind the new team is the state Congress whose move is aimed at reaching out to party supporters lying dormant in the present phase of aggressive politics and also to re-establish its strong connect with the masses," a senior party leader said on Thursday.

The "prabhat pheri"are in all likelihood expected to start from the birth anniversary of former prime minister and Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi, on August 20, and will culminate on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2.

In groups of 6 to 7, Seva Dal volunteers will move out in villages and localities beating cymbals and drums, singing patriotic songs and bhajans, the Congress leader said.

The move is also designed to make the presence of the Congress felt throughout the state and counter the RSS and the BJP at the ground level.

Before Independence and even in the early years after Independence, people from villages used to move in groups before dawn from one locality to another and from village to village, singing bhajans and songs invoking a sense patriotism among the locals.

The Congress is also planning to set up the youth wing of the Seva Dal in order to increase its connect with the youth and involve them in the party, he said.

The plan to take out "prabhat pheri" was discussed in the Seva Dal meeting here attended by senior functionaries including national chief organiser of Seva Dal, Lalji Desai, as well as party's state president, Raj Babbar, along with the state office bearers and functionaries from all over the state on Wednesday.

The party also plans to reach out to the families of martyrs by visiting their villages and felicitating their kin and also spread a word about their contributions, the leader added.