Gujarat Polls 2022: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday invited a Dalit man and his family from Gujarat to his residence in the national capital for a meal.
During a town hall with sanitation workers predominantly from the Dalit community here, a participant named Harsh Solanki said he saw Kejriwal recently accept a dinner invitation from an autorickshaw driver during his town hall in Ahmedabad, and sought to know if the latter would come to his home for a meal.
Kejriwal told Solanki he would visit his house for a meal during his next trip to Ahmedabad, and at the same time, extended an invitation to the latter and his kin to come to his Delhi home to break bread. Solanki said he was glad to see Kejriwal coming to the Dalit community, something he claimed no other leader had done since Independence.
"Looking at you we feel hopeful that someone is standing for us. And sir, I would like to make a request. Will you come to visit the house of a Dalit like you went to the house of an autorickshaw driver during your visit here 15-20 days back," he asked.
In reply, Kejriwal said, "I have seen that every leader visits the house of a Dalit for a meal to show off. Till today, no leader has invited a Dalit to his house for a meal. Will you come to my house to have food together," he asked and Solanki promptly accepted.
On being asked about his kin by the Delhi CM, Solanki said he lives with his brother, sister and parents, after which the former said he would send plane tickets to Delhi for all five. "You and your family will have food together on Monday in the house of the Delhi chief minister. Whenever I am in Ahmedabad next, I will visit your home," Kejriwal said.
On the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Solanki and his kin will be lodged in Punjab Bhavan during their visit to the national capital. Kejriwal also accepted the invitation to name a library run by Dalit children near the venue of the townhall. Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal said the office of a Congress leader has photographs of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, while the office of a BJP leader has a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"When you go to the office of an AAP leader, you will not see the photographs of Kejriwal or Mann, but of Babasaheb Ambedkar. AAP is the only party moving on the path shown by Ambedkar. Babasaheb's dream was not fulfilled in the last 75 years, but I have pledged to fulfil his dream," he said.
