Lagatar24 Desk
Sultanpur: In a heartwarming gesture, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has sent a shoe-stitching machine to a cobbler he met during his visit to Sultanpur. Gandhi had encountered the cobbler, Ram Chait, while returning to Lucknow after appearing in a defamation case.
The Congress party shared a picture of the stitching machine on social media, hailing Gandhi as a “people’s leader.” “People’s leader Rahul Gandhi ji met cobbler Ram Chait ji in Sultanpur (UP) yesterday and understood the intricacies of his work. Now a shoe stitching machine has been sent to him, which will make it easier for Ram Chait ji to stitch shoes,” the party wrote in a post on X. The party added, “Aise hai aapke Rahul, Jan-Jan ke Rahul (Such is your Rahul, people’s Rahul).”
During his brief stop at the cobbler’s shop, Gandhi tried his hand at mending a chappal (footwear). A video of the interaction, shared on social media, garnered praise for Gandhi’s gesture. The cobbler, who has been making footwear in a makeshift shop for the past 40 years, expressed his gratitude for the support.
“Leader of Opposition Shri @RahulGandhi stopped the car on the way and met a family of cobblers. 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 stated on X.
After the interaction, Ram Chait shared his experience, saying, “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…I told him I was financially weak and asked him for some help. I also showed him how I mend shoes,” he told ANI.
This act of kindness is part of Gandhi’s ongoing efforts to connect with small business owners and laborers across the country. Earlier this month, he met laborers at Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Nagar in Delhi and interacted with them. In May, he visited a barber shop in Raebareli for a haircut and beard trim, engaging in a conversation about recent hairstyle trends. Last year, he visited Anand Vihar Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in New Delhi, donned a coolie uniform, and carried luggage on his head to show solidarity with the porters.