JNU professor Sudha Pai, who has written an acclaimed book on the BSP and Uttar Pradesh, says she got a call from Rahul in 2004, seeking her permission to drop by. He came with just one security guard, but with a lot of reading on UP, she recalls. “He asked me a lot of questions – about the reasons for the Congress’s decline in UP, why caste and identity politics played such a big role there, about BSP, about the future of Congress and how it could be revived in the state.” Pai found Rahul sincere, genuinely interested and concerned
Exactly a year ago. "He seemed sincere, genuinely concerned and sympathetic," recalls the mother of five, and pauses. The gaggle of women around her start to giggle. "He was as fair as the gora sahib with him - as white as maida," adds Ramkali, an elderly woman, explaining the group's excitement. Rahul had arrived at this Dalit bustee, Semra Malin, with British foreign secretary David Miliband. The memories of January 15, 2009, are treasured by each villager, to be shared one day with their grandchildren. It was a Cinderella moment for this clutch of ramshackle huts flanking a ribbon-thin cobbled lane, where ruminating cattle jostle for space with humans and the air hangs heavy with the smell of rotting leaves, kerosene and cow dung. Shivkumari relives the "shock" when she was told that Rahul would be staying the night in her hut. The pigeon-coop sized room with no windows needed a lamp in the daytime. It didn't have a cot and Shivkumari didn't have a blanket for the guest. Her neighbours, who formed the bustee's self-help group (SHG), helped out. Two takhts (wooden bed) were brought in with bedding.
And then they prepared food - a prince's fare: "palak, soya ka saag, tur daal, rice, poori and kheer - the kind one gets to eat only at a wedding ." She was too shy to go before Rahul and Miliband and serve, but those who did, claimed, "Bhaiya needs to eat more…he is so lean."
Rahul wanted to know about Shivkumari, her life, family, her household economy. "I told him everything - about my husband's death two years ago, the loan, debt and sickly children. I wish I had something happy to narrate," her voice trails off. "Stop sniffling, sister," chips in a bubbly neighbour. "That heart-to-heart talk got you this," she says pointing to the half-constructed pucca room (the SHG's gift to Shivkumari after the visit) which looked totally incongruous with the rest of the thatched structure. "At least next winter will not be so harsh to your children," she says as the widow nods in agreement. "I pray for him the way I pray for my family, I hope he becomes a big leader and then comes back here again," says Shivkumari.
Some 20 km away in Pure Jawaharsingh, Sangrampur , Amarjeet too had his magic moment two years ago. Rahul came to this Dalit's hut unannounced. "Imagine a pandit (Brahmin) and a prince entering this place," he begins. The kutcha homestead has a prosperous look today with a new thatched roof. Sponsored by local Congressmen , another room has been added to it recently.
"We were all so nervous but he put everyone at ease in no time," says his wife Meena. Rahul, she says, loves children. "He asked my son, are you afraid of anyone and the little rascal told him 'policewale se darte hain' ," she happlily recounts. He was inquisitive about their education, school and grades, says Sunita, her sister-in-law . The best thing about Bhaiya, according to Amarjeet, was his patience. "He is a very good listener, although he does not speak much."
"He is very unassuming... Imagine, a high caste breaking bread with us," adds Amarjeet, his excitement rising. "He actually sought permission to sleep under our roof. We all watched in a trance as he climbed the takht and covered himself with the old blanket provided by me as though this is what he did every night."
In fact, so excited were Amarjeet and his two brothers that they tiptoed out after a while and spent the night outside, sitting by the fire. "We just could not sleep a wink that night," he admitted . His neighbour Ghanshyam, recalls, "What was surprising is that none of the gunmen accompanying Bhaiya used expletives even once. Yeh hota hai sohbat ka asar (this is what company does to you)!"
As goodwill for Bhaiyaji overflowed, Amarjeet declares: "The villagers are now waiting for Bhaiyaji to become the prime minister of not only India but of Amreeka and Cheen. They don't make young men like him anymore."
Just four months back, Rahul came to the obscure village of Tilhar in neighbouring Shravasti district. The 10-kilometer muddy stretch leading to this Dalit village has no electricity, no healthcare centre. There are just 11 hand pumps for a population of 700. But it now has hope. Virtually the impossible happened in September; anything can happen now.
"Nehruji ka parnaati hamar gaon me awa aur khais, pihis bhi, (The great grandson of Nehru not only came to our village, but ate with us too)," says 80-year-old Munni, described by some as the oldest resident of Tilhar.
Politically, Rahul's visit was planned to perfection . Aimed at winning the hearts of this largely Dalit community, the entire enterprise - talking of health, education, development, breaking bread with them, sleeping in a stringed cot under the sky - was a contrast to other politicians. Why, even the local MLA has not visited this village, let alone ministers.
"I still cannot believe how Rahul made me sit next to him and share the poori sabzi cooked by my mother. It was an incredible experience for people of the village, especially the Dalits," said Pasi.
If some changes are happening in Tilhar, it's not without a little help from Rahul. "The Centre launched a Rs 142-crore project for women. Only four districts of Uttar Pradesh were selected for the project and Shravasti was one of them. I am very sure that it was only because of Rahul's personal interest in Tilhar that Shravasti got chosen," said Suresh, a resident of Tilhar.
