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Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on his way back to Lucknow after visiting Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh stopped at a cobbler's shop and interacted with him and his family.
The Congress MP had gone to Sultanpur to appear before a court where he was summoned in a defamation case. On his return, Gandhi stopped briefly at the cobbler's shop and tried his hand at mending a chappal as could be seen in a video that was posted by the Congress party on its social media platforms. "Leader of Opposition Shri @RahulGandhi stopped the car on the way and met a family of cobbler. We are continuously fighting for the rights of these hardworking people, raising their voice from the streets to the Parliament. Our aim is to ensure their safety at present and their future prosperous," the Congress said in a post on 'X'. After the interaction, Ram Chet, the cobbler, said that Rahul Gandhi did some stitching on a chappal and also meded a shoe at his shop. "I have been working here for the last 40 years. Rahul Gandhi had a discussion with us about our business...Rahul Gandhi stitched a chappal and pasted a shoe," Ram Chet said speaking to ANI. "I told him I was financially weak and asked him for some help. I also showed him how I mend shoes" the cobbler said Raghuram, the cobbler's son shared that he is not engaged in the profession anymore as he claimed that he was not treated with "respect" while he worked as a cobbler. "We were delighted to meet him. He treated us with respect and dignity. He asked me why I am not engaged in this profession anymore. I told him that when I was working as a cobbler people did not respect me. So I left the profession. I work as a labourer now," Raghuram said speaking to ANI. When asked about Rahul Gandhi's take on him leaving his father's profession due to lack of "respect," Raghuram said, "He told me that this is my profession and no profession is big or small. Everyone respects artisans." Gandhi also interacted with loco pilots in Sultanpur on Friday. Congress, via its social media handle X, stated that after Rahul Gandhi's engagement with the loco pilots, the Modi government began addressing their issues. In a post on X, Congress wrote: "Today, Leader of Opposition Mr. @RahulGandhi met the loco pilots in Sultanpur. Recently, Rahul Gandhi had listened to their concerns and highlighted their challenging working conditions. Following this, the Modi government began paying attention to their problems. Loco pilots are the backbone of the railways. Providing them with necessary facilities and humane working conditions is crucial for railway safety. We will ensure justice for them." Earlier in the day, a court in Sultanpur listed the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi for next hearing on August 12. Gandhi appeared before the Sultanpur court Friday morning in connection with the case over alleged objectionable remarks on Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Advocate Santosh Kumar Pandey, the complainant's lawyer, said, "He (Rahul Gandhi) denied the allegations and said that he is being framed for political reasons and to malign his image. He answered the questions asked by the court. He recorded his statement. Now, we have to produce evidence on August 12, 2024." The case was registered based on a complaint lodged by BJP leader Vijay Mishra in 2018. Advocate Santosh Kumar Pandey said that Rahul Gandhi used defamatory words against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Bengaluru on May 8, 2018. The case was filed in the District and Sessions Court of MP-MLA Court Sultanpur on August 4, 2018. Rahul Gandhi allegedly made the remarks during an election rallly in Bengaluru in the run-up to the Karnataka elections. Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai said, "He (Rahul Gandhi) will appear in court. 30-31 cases have been filed against him across the country to harass him, but the Congress party is fighting bravely." (ANI)
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