New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Saturday shared a lighter moment with two women farmers from Haryana who enquired about the marriage plans of her son Rahul Gandhi, by asking them to find a suitable match for him.
The women farmers also discussed subjects like inflation and the Agniveer scheme over lunch with the Gandhi family here.
In a tweet, Rahul Gandhi said, “A day to remember for Maa, Priyanka and me with some very special guests! Delhi darshan of Sonepat’s farmer sisters, dinner with them at home, and lots of fun things to do. Got priceless gifts together – desi ghee, sweet lassi, homemade pickles and lots of love.”
He also shared the video of conversation of him, his mother Sonia Gandhi, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with the farmers of Haryana’s Sonepat, whom he had invited for lunch at his residence here.
Earlier this month, Rahul Gandhi had visited the farmers in Sonepat where the women told him that they are yet to see Delhi and his house.
Rahul Gandhi had called up his sister and invited the women farmers over lunch in Delhi.
The video shows a light-hearted chat between the women and Sonia Gandhi on the marriage of Rahul Gandhi.
One of the women farmers can be heard telling Sonia Gandhi, “Get Rahul ji married”, to which the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson replied, “You find a girl”.
The women farmers also asked Priyanka Gandhi about the dishes their mother cooked for them in their childhood, to which she replied that since Kashmiri Pandits don’t eat onion and garlic, she used to make Kasun, where curd is heated with mustard oil and when it turns red and brown then spices are added in.
She even prepares ‘kheer’ besides many other dishes.
Though she has not cooked for a while now, she learnt everything.
“When we were young she would cook for us.” Then one of the women called Sonia Gandhi a symbol of sacrifice and that “we cannot praise her enough”.
“Your family has sacrificed for generations. We salute you mam. It is our good luck that we got a chance to meet you,” the women said.
One of the women then pointed out how things have become so expensive that they cannot afford them.
They highlighted how due to soaring prices of tomatoes, they are unable to see it anywhere these days. To this Sonia Gandhi replied, “Yes everything is expensive.”
A common man cannot buy tomatoes for Rs 200 per kg. And the farmers cannot even buy paddy saplings and went on to add that a farmer ploughs the land and only then he gets his meal, they said.
“Despite growing wheat and rice by toiling day and night, we are unable to meet the expenses as the prices of fertilizers and medicines have skyrocketed,” the woman said.
She went on to say that many youths had ended their lives when the Agniveer scheme was launched. When the youths have to leave the Army in four years what is so good about the scheme? she wondered.
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The women also added that the opportunities have been exhausted and the poor are finding educating their children tough as everything is privatised.
The woman farmer then pointed out that it is very tough for them to survive as no compensation is given to them when their lands are flooded, also that when they go to buy a small motor, GST has been included on the farm products. How will poor farmers manage?
They can also be heard speaking about rising diesel prices and that if they don’t pay the electricity charges then their connections would be disconnected.
On being asked by Rahul Gandhi, they said a cooking gas cylinder lasts a month, but it costs Rs 1,200.
He asks them to take Priyanka Gandhi to sow the paddy in the farmlands.
Even Priyanka Gandhi shared lighter moments with them saying that Rahul Gandhi was naughtier between the two. She used to get shouted at for everything as he used to get away because of his innocent face.
On being asked how Sonia coped with her husband Rajiv Gandhi’s death, Priyanka Gandhi said that she was deeply hurt and took very long to come out of the trauma.
“For many days, she did not even drink water or eat anything,” she said.
Rahul Gandhi also discussed how his knee problem was an issue during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, but he managed and got to learn a lot during it.
Rahul Gandhi, when asked by a young girl how he feels about two strong women in the house, he said “they should not be scared of anyone and also asked them not to get suppressed.”
The women then also shook a leg with Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi before leaving for Sonepat.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi has surprised everyone with his sudden visits among the public.
In March, he visited the Bengali Market and Jama Masjid area. Then later he visited the Mukherjee Nagar area to interact with UPSC aspirants.
He also visited the Delhi University’s PG Men’s Hostel over lunch and then visited Haryana’s Murthal and from there he took the truck ride till Ambala.
Recently, he had also visited the Nike market in Karol Bagh area in Delhi and interacted with the bike mechanics.
During his recent visit to the US, Rahul Gandhi had also taken a truck ride from New York to Washington DC.
Even during his Karnataka visit during the assembly elections, he had interacted with the delivery partners and also took a scooter ride with them.
Rahul Gandhi had completed his 4,000 km Bharat Jodo Yatra from Tamil Nadu’s KanyaKumari to Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar. After his yatra concluded on January 30, he has been interacting with people. (IANS)
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