Rahul Gandhi Gifts Shoemaking Machine To Shoemaker

A day after Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visited a shoemaker and his family near the Guptarganj area, the shoemaker received an automatic machine to assist with his trade, according to a party spokesperson on Saturday.

Gandhi was in Sultanpur on Friday to attend a court hearing for a defamation case related to his alleged “objectionable” remarks in 2018 about senior BJP leader Amit Shah.

On his way back to Lucknow, Gandhi interacted with various individuals and groups, including a local shoemaker named Ram Chet.

Ram Chait, who has been making footwear from his makeshift shop for over 40 years, recently interacted with Rahul Gandhi. A video of their meeting went viral, earning widespread praise from netizens for Gandhi’s considerate gesture.

This visit comes after a similar event on May 15, when Rahul Gandhi visited a barber shop in Raebareli for a haircut and beard trim, asking about the latest haircut trends.

Chet expressed his happiness upon receiving the sewing machine, noting that it will enable him to stitch 8-10 pairs of shoes a day, as well as school bags, purses, and other accessories. He plans to keep the machine at his son’s place, where there is an electricity supply.

“I told him that I get the shoes stitched from Kurebhar and get them fitted here… Seeing my poverty, he (Gandhi) said he will help me. Today, on the second day itself, he has helped me a lot by sending the machine.

“I used to make one or two pairs of shoes in a day. Now, after getting this machine, I will be able to make 8-10 pairs in a day,” he said.

The UP Congress also shared a post on X, commending Rahul Gandhi’s understanding of the cobbler’s work and his efforts to make Chet’s life easier.

The Congress leader had a conversation with cobbler Ram Chait in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur, who informed the Rae Bareli MP of his “financially weak” condition and sought his help. The Congress scion also learned how to mend shoes.

“Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi 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 make their present safe and their future prosperous,” wrote Congress in a post on X.

Rahul Gandhi appeared before the Sultanpur MP/MLA court concerning a defamation case filed against him for allegedly making objectionable remarks about Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The court had summoned Rahul Gandhi to appear on July 26, following a directive issued on July 2.