NEW DELHI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday made a surprise visit to Anand Vihar Railway Station where he interacted with porters (coolies) and auto drivers and heard their concerns. The former Congress president even went on to wear the red uniform shirt and badge they gave him and briefly carried a suitcase on his head as he walked along with them.
This visit from Rahul to the railway station came after months of appeals from porters who looked to share their concerns with the MP and sought his assurance on improving their condition. In a video that surfaced online, porters were seen surrounding the Wayanad MP as they placed a trolley bag on his head. A smiling Gandhi grabs onto the bag and makes his way through the sea of porters as they break out in chants of “Rahul Gandhi Zindabad.”
Another clip shows the Congress leader donning the trademark red shirt as a porter ties a badge to his arm. Surrounded by hundreds of porters, Rahul’s gesture was applauded by the crowd. While interacting with the porters, Rahul sat down with the porters and inquired of their problems.
After the video was shared on social media, it drew mixed reactions. Some of the responses seemed to be defending the leader while some slammed his act as a publicity stunt. In a post on Instagram, Rahul said, “Today, met the coolie brothers working at the Anand Vihar terminal in Delhi.”
He further said, “I had this desire in my mind for a long time, and they had also called me very lovingly – and the wish of the hard-working brothers of India should be fulfilled at any cost.” “People’s leader Rahul Gandhi met porters at Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi today. Recently, a video had gone viral in which the porters of the railway station had expressed their desire to meet him.
कुली भाइयों के बीच जननायक pic.twitter.com/nor4tSyoR8
— Congress (@INCIndia) September 21, 2023Today, Rahul reached there and listened to them. Bharat Jodo journey continues,” the Congress party posted on X, formerly Twitter. Meanwhile, the BJP termed Rahul Gandhi’s visit as ‘theatrics’, questioning the wheels on the suitcase he chose to carry on his head.
“Only someone as dumb as Rahul Gandhi would carry a suitcase on his head when it has wheels … It is obvious he hasn’t been to a railway station off late… Several of them now have escalators or ramps for the convenience of passengers and porters. All this is nothing but theatrics,” BJP It Cell Chief Amit Malviya posted on X.
It is nothing but theatrics, says BJP
The BJP termed Rahul Gandhi’s visit as ‘theatrics’, questioning the wheels on the suitcase he chose to carry on his head. “It is obvious he hasn’t been to a railway station off late… Several of All this is nothing but theatrics,” BJP It Cell Chief Amit Malviya posted on X, formerly Twitter.
