Almost three years after Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi joined a farmer in the fields of Haryana’s Sonipat to sow paddy, he returned to the same village on Tuesday to attend the wedding of the farmer’s daughter and delight the residents of the area.
Gandhi visited Madina village in Sonipat to attend the wedding of Tanu, the daughter of farmer Sanjay Malik, whom he first met in 2023. According to the Indian National Congress, the Congress leader had earlier promised to stand by Malik and his family in both happy and difficult times.
Gandhi promised to stand by Malik and his family in every joy and sorrow and today ‘Jannayak’ has become a part of their family’s happiness, Congress said on X.
On Tuesday morning, Gandhi reached the village where he was received by Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda and other party leaders before attending the ceremony. Party sources said Malik’s family had earlier invited him to the wedding.
From an away meeting in 2023 to a family celebration
According to the Congress, Gandhi first met Malik during an impromptu stop at Madina village in July 2023 on his way to Shimla. During this visit, he worked alongside a farmer in the fields and listened to the challenges that farm families face.
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“Jannayak (people’s leader) Rahul Gandhi met Sanjay ji for the first time in 2023. He worked alongside him in the fields and listened to stories of the struggles faced by farm families,” the party said in a post on X, sharing images from Tuesday’s visit.
Traditional welcome and local delicacies
Dressed in a white T-shirt and green trousers, Gandhi enjoyed traditional Haryanvi dishes including churma, a glass of milk and the famous Gohan jalebis during the visit.
He also interacted with Malik’s family and villagers, who tied a turban to him as a mark of respect.
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In a post on X in Hindi, the Congress said, “Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi attended the wedding ceremony of farmer Sanjay Malik’s daughter in Sonipat.
The family and villagers welcome the visit
According to the Congress, Malik’s family and villagers expressed their happiness that Gandhi found time to attend the farmer’s daughter’s wedding.
In a video shared by the party, Gandhi was seen mingling with family and villagers, telling them that his mother Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi had sent their congratulations to Malik’s family.
Priyanka also spoke to the family on phone after Gandhi dialed her number.
After the Congress leader left, an elderly woman in the family told reporters, “We are very happy that Rahul Gandhi has come to attend the wedding ceremony of a common farmer.”
“He also took milk and churma with him,” joked a young family member.
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Notes by Deepender Hooda
Deepender Hooda later wrote on X: “At a time when prominent leaders were vying to attend the weddings of rich industrialists, today Rahul Gandhi fulfilled his ‘Kanyadaan’ promise by attending the wedding of the daughter of Sanjay, a farmer in whose field he helped plant paddy nearly three years ago.”
Visiting Madina village in 2023
During his impromptu visit to Madina in July 2023, Gandhi not only sowed a paddy field, but also drove a tractor and ate food brought by women workers working in the fields.
Later, at Gandhi’s invitation, the farmers visited him in Delhi, where they shared a meal with the Congress leader.
(With inputs from news agency PTI)
