The Hindu : National : Rahul makes surprise visit to another Dalit village in Amethi

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Rahul makes surprise visit to another Dalit village in Amethi

Interacts with Ban Purva Gaderi villagers, dines at a house

— Photo: PTI

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi at Pindara village during his visit to Amethi on Saturday.

Amethi: Unfazed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s criticism, Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi visited a Dalit basti here on Friday.

Mr. Gandhi, on a two-day visit to his Parliamentary constituency, paid a surprise visit to Ban Purva Gaderi village and interacted with villagers for over two hours. He also dined at a Dalit’s house there.

The villagers were taken by surprise at the blaring horns of Mr. Gandhi’s convoy, which arrived at 11 p.m. Mr. Gandhi asked two villagers, Lakhpati and Sumitra, for dinner after which the entire village rushed to welcome him. Sumitra later told reporters that while the dinner was being prepared, Mr. Gandhi interacted with the villagers in the ‘chaupal’ enquiring about their problems.

He asked the women to work unitedly for their progress saying the real power of the country vested in them.

During his earlier tours also, Mr. Gandhi paid similar surprise visits to villages and dined there.

Mr. Gandhi faced the brunt of the simmering discontent within the Congress when his motorcade was proceeding to Amethi from Lucknow.

The issue came to the boil after he addressed party workers at Jagdishpur village, 70 km away, when he pointed out that he had received complaints of internal squabbles and that it amounted to “indiscipline”.

As he started out for the town, a local Youth Congress leader and several party workers squatted in front of his motorcade, forcing it to a halt.

When Mr. Gandhi asked them what the trouble was, they accused him of not fulfilling his promise made six months ago and said that not one of those displaced by the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited plant set up at Jagdishpur was given a job.

Party sources said the activists were also peeved at Mr. Gandhi “not spending enough time with them.” “He has taken a note of their demand on the BHEL project and would be talking to the higher authorities,” they said.

Mr. Gandhi on Saturday held a meeting with the women’s self-help group of the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and participated in an open house session with party workers before leaving for Delhi. — PTI

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