HARSH Solanki, a sanitation employee from Gandhinagar, Gujarat, received a “shock” invitation from Aam Aadmi Celebration convenor Arvind Kejriwal Sunday, for lunch at his chief ministerial residence in Delhi. By Monday, the 20-year-old had had a style of the total course: flight tickets, airport reception, a tour of AAP’s mohalla clinics and authorities faculties, and to wrap it up, a photo-op with Kejriwal towards a life-size B R Ambedkar portrait.
Whereas the Congress dismissed it as political showmanship, and the BJP known as it a gimmick, AAP clearly loved the day, from Delhi to Gandhinagar – as did the overwhelmed Solankis.
Harsh, a contractual employee with the Gandinagar civic physique, was accompanied by his mom Lata Ben and sister Solanki. For the household, it was their first time on a flight; for Lata Ben, who additionally works as a safai karamchari, her first time ever in Delhi.
It was at a gathering with sanitation staff in Ahmedabad Sunday that Harsh had received as much as ask Kejriwal whether or not he would go to their dwelling, like he had gone to an autorickshaw driver’s dwelling within the metropolis a number of days in the past. The CM replied that earlier than elections, politicians had made a behavior of visiting Dalit houses and consuming. However, nobody known as them dwelling, he stated. And he would.
The Solankis landed in Delhi at round 10.20 am Monday. They have been welcomed on the airport by AAP Rajya Sabha MP and Gujarat election co-incharge Raghav Chadha, who gave them a scarf as a token of respect.
Within the round three hours between then and when the Solankis reached the CM home, the household was taken first to a authorities faculty after which a mohalla clinic in West Vinod Nagar. They got a tour of the varsity by Principal Mary Jyotsna.
Harsh, who studied as much as Class 10 earlier than taking on the safai karamchari job to complement the household revenue, stated he got here away “mesmerised” from the varsity. “I’ve by no means seen a authorities faculty in Gujarat with such services like a swimming pool… These needs to be created in Gujarat too in order that youngsters from poor households can get a very good schooling.”
The household of 5 survives on the cash earned by Harsh and his mom.
Sister Suhani stated she had studied in a personal faculty as much as Class 12, and the Delhi authorities faculties have been higher than even her faculty. “There isn’t a comparability. Personal faculties cost big charges and but the services will not be on top of things and there’s discrimination between women and boys.”
Her schooling halted after she completed Class 12 two years in the past, Suhani stated she expects she shall be married off quickly.
Lata Ben stated she admired the infrastructure and roads in Delhi. “The town may be very clear, there is no such thing as a rubbish and potholes on the street. In Gujarat, all the space turns into a swimming pool, even when it rains for 10 minutes.”
On the CM home, an emotional Harsh hugged Kejriwal, and offered him a portrait of Ambedkar. He known as it “a really proud second for us”. “I can’t consider I’m standing right here with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal sir… It nonetheless looks like I’m daydreaming.”
Harsh repeated what Kejriwal stated at Sunday’s assembly. “Within the final 75 years (of India’s Independence), no chief has invited a Dalit boy to his dwelling for lunch… He (Kejriwal) is the one and first chief within the nation to take action and eat with us.”
Kejriwal stated: “My relations and I have been very completely satisfied to obtain the Solankis. I’m very grateful to them for coming so removed from Gujarat.” The CM added that the following time he goes to Ahmedabad, he would go to Harsh’s home and meet the individuals of his neighborhood.
Lata Ben stated she by no means thought she would see this present day. “Harsh retains attending these political conferences and comes dwelling and (talks politics)… Final night time, when he stated we must always pack our issues and be prepared by 6 am to satisfy Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, I didn’t consider him. I although he’s joking like at all times and stated, ‘Tu pagal ho gaya hai, jaa soja (You will have misplaced it, go and sleep)’. Later, at midnight, he instructed me the tickets have been booked. Within the morning, as a automotive arrived to take us, as did the media, my blood strain went low in shock and pleasure.”
The lunch with Kejriwal has big significance, she burdened. “Who calls a Dalit household to their home in at present’s time? That too for lunch,” Lata Ben, who’s posted within the Gujarat Sports activities Authority workplace and earns Rs 8,000 monthly, stated.
Requested in the event that they have been common voters and would inform their neighbours about Delhi, Harsh stated: “Sure. We received electrical energy a yr in the past after 15 years of request. In Delhi, individuals take pleasure in free electrical energy, schooling, well being companies… AAP is rising and other people prefer it for its honesty.”
The 20-year-old additionally has a private want: that his safai karamchari job is regularised by the brand new authorities.
After visiting Kejriwal’s home, the household was to go to Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka earlier than flying again to Ahmedabad.
Congress chief Romesh Sabharwal posted a video of Raghav Chadha welcoming the household to Delhi, whereas tweeting, “Good fixing. We did this our entire life however we don’t give publicity to this tradition.”
AAP leaders, nevertheless, insisted the CM’s invitation to Harsh was totally on the spot. “As soon as he requested Solanki to come back to Delhi, we made inquiries and booked the tickets,” a pacesetter stated.
A senior chief added: “In fact, it was all a part of politics and optics, however the CM’s determination to name Solanki and his household dwelling was fully spontaneous.”
With AAP more and more placing Ambedkar on the centre of its politics, the chief stated Kejriwal usually visits the Valmiki temple in Delhi, which falls in his constituency. “For many years, individuals have used the Dalit neighborhood for his or her good points, however that is the primary time a CM has accorded respect to an individual from the neighborhood,” the chief stated.
Whereas even earlier than his Ahmedabad go to to an auto driver’s dwelling, Kejriwal had visited one other such driver in Delhi, and others in Punjab, it’s the first time he has invited a standard man to his dwelling for lunch.
Again in Gandhinagar, there was some confusion over Solanki’s precise residence. AAP Gujarat spokesperson Karan Barot claimed he was a resident of Shahibaug. However later, the occasion shared an itinerary of his go to to Delhi by which Gandhinagar was proven as his deal with.
A contact of a household acquaintance, shared by AAP, instructed The Indiana Specific, “I don’t get to satisfy him a lot, however I do know he has been working as a sanitation employee on contract for the final three-four years.”
(With inputs from RASHI MISHRA, Ahmedabad)