WATCH: Rahul Gandhi visits Anand Vihar railway station, wears 'coolie' attire, carries load

On Thursday, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a notable appearance at Delhi's Anand Vihar railway station, engaging with porters (coolies) and auto drivers to address their concerns. During this visit, he immersed himself in conversations with these laborers, gaining insights into their challenges. In a symbolic gesture, Rahul Gandhi was even seen donning the red shirt traditionally worn by porters and hoisting luggage on his shoulders.

A witness present at Anand Vihar Railway Station shared, "Extremely happy that Rahul Gandhi met auto drivers and coolies here (Anand Vihar). He said he will put forth our issues in front of the government," as reported by the news agency PTI.

The Congress party took to the microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to share a photograph of Rahul Gandhi engaging with the porters. Their tweet read, "People's hero Rahul Gandhiji met his porter friends at the Anand Vihar railway station in Delhi today. Recently, a video had gone viral in which the Porter friends of the railway station had expressed their desire to meet him.”

This visit by Rahul Gandhi to the railway station followed months of appeals from porters who sought his understanding of their issues and his commitment to improving their circumstances. In the previous month, Gandhi had visited Leh-Ladakh, interacting with locals to comprehend their concerns in the region.

In addition to his railway station visit, Rahul Gandhi had earlier embarked on a surprise tour of Delhi's Bengali Market and Jama Masjid area, where he savored local cuisine. He also explored the Mukherjee Nagar area, engaging with UPSC aspirants. His day continued with a visit to Delhi University's PG Men's Hostel, where he joined students for lunch.

This pattern of interactions and engagement with diverse sections of society is not new for Rahul Gandhi. In May, he took a late-night truck journey from Delhi to Chandigarh, conversing with truck drivers at a dhaba to gain insights into their challenges. He also visited Sonepat in Haryana during the paddy planting season, conversing with local farmers. Furthermore, he stopped by a bike mechanic shop in Delhi's Karol Bagh region and Azadpur Mandi, addressing concerns related to rising vegetable prices.

Rahul Gandhi has emphasised that his Bharat Jodo Yatra, which took him from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, continues through these interactions with diverse groups of society, from mechanics to students, underscoring his commitment to understanding and addressing their issues.

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