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Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh), November 7 (IANS) In a grim irony that underlines the gap between political rhetoric and ground reality, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s much-publicised gesture of empowerment of a Dalit artisan in Uttar Pradesh has become a symbol of neglect.
As Rahul Gandhi kicks off his Bihar election campaign with loud promises for the upliftment of Dalits and marginalized communities, the story of cancer-stricken cobbler Ramchait Mochi from Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur district paints a poignant picture of unfulfilled hopes.
It was some time in 2023 when Gandhi gifted a gleaming shoe-making machine to Ramchait, a 58-year-old Dalit cobbler from Dhesaruwa village, during one of his outreach campaigns in the area.
Congress workers described the gift as a prime example of self-reliance, aimed at boosting the livelihoods of traditional artisans facing economic difficulties.
Photographs of the event, in which Gandhi was smiling with Ramchait, were widely circulated on social media, presenting it as a story of inclusive development.
Yet, today, that machine lies covered in dust and cobwebs in a corner of Ramchait’s modest hut, a silent testament to broken dreams. Raghav Mochi, Ramchait’s 28-year-old son and sole breadwinner, shared a heartbreaking story with IANS.
Raghav said, “The machine was a good idea, but it never worked. When this machine came my father was already struggling with health problems, and now he is bedridden due to advanced stage of cancer.”
Ramchait’s condition deteriorated rapidly after he was diagnosed with throat cancer two years ago. Confined to a creaking cot in his one-room house, the once hard-working cobbler can barely speak, leave alone operate machinery.
The family survives on Raghav’s meager daily wages – earning no more than Rs 200-300 on good days – teetering on the brink of poverty.
Medical bills have piled up, forcing them to borrow from neighbours, and basic necessities like medicines remain a luxury. In a desperate plea, Raghav has appealed directly to Gandhi for some financial help.
“Sir, you gave us hope once. Now, we need something real – money for treatment, maybe Rs 50,000 for a start. My father idolized you – don’t let him down,” he urged.
When IANS contacted a frail Ramchait, who could only whisper between labored breaths, his words reflected quiet desperation.
“The machine… it’s useless now. There’s pain everywhere. If Rahul ji remembers us, just do something to help the hospital,” she said, tears flowing as she held up a faded photograph of the gift-giving ceremony. This saga is spread in Dhesaruwa, a cluster of mud-brick houses, where Dalits are in majority.
Village head Arshad, who is a respected local man, expressed great concern.
Highlighting the community’s growing disillusionment, Arshad told IANS: “Ramchait’s case is tragic. The machine was symbolic, but symbols do not cure cancer. He needs proper treatment – perhaps in Delhi or Mumbai, where the facilities are better. The financial support from the leader who brought him into the limelight would be considerable. We have written to local Congress representatives, but there is silence so far.”
The incident could not have come at a worse time for Rahul Gandhi, who has made Dalit empowerment the cornerstone of his Bihar offensive.
At rallies in Patna and Muzaffarpur last week, he recounted similar stories of “corporate loot” and promised schemes such as reservations for Scheduled Castes and increase in welfare funds.
Critics, including BJP spokespersons, are already taking advantage of the Sultanpur story to counter this narrative. A local BJP leader quipped, “Rahul ji’s promises are like that dusty machine – shiny at first, then forgotten.” He demanded an audit of all such “gifts” distributed by the Congress.
However, this is no political football for the Mochi family; This is a fight for survival. As winter sets in, Raghav wonders whether his father’s appeal will resonate outside the campaign.
Rahul Gandhi’s office is yet to respond to IANS’s queries, but whispers in the corridors of power suggest an internal review of such a “major” initiative.
Will this forgotten gift inspire real action, or turn into electoral amnesia? In the quiet villages of the heartland, where votes are cast with memories of broken vows, the answer may affect more than one ballot box.
–IANS
SKTR/PGH