Poor UP Dalit family had to borrow flour, vegetables to decently feed Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Politicians often use photo opportunities, like a meal with the poor, to highlight how caring they are. Similarly, politicians’ minions often round up – in advance - large crowds to make sure the their bosses’ public rallies appear well attended. Do they, though, spare a thought for the poor people involved in these photo-ops?

A politician’s recent meal with a Dalit family brought to light the plight of some of these people.

A Dalit family from Mau, Uttar Pradesh, which hosted Rahul Gandhi and Congress UP President Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday for a meal, is actually too poor to have afforded it. So it borrowed flour, vegetables and the like to be able to decently feed Rahul and Azad.

Mau (UP): Dalit family who offered food to Rahul Gandhi had borrowed food material from others to prepare food. pic.twitter.com/Y60htOKv8a

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 15, 2016

Rahul Gandhi was like a God to us so we had to prepare no matter what. Will repay the debt somehow: Family member pic.twitter.com/m3MHajO1fT

amp;— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 15, 2016

Rahul is touring Uttar Pradesh and addressing rallies ahead of the 2017 state polls. On Sunday, he and Azad were treated to rotis and potato chokha at Swaminath's home.

"Rahul ji enquired about our living and the problems we are facing. I told him that we hardly manage to meet our basic needs," Swaminth said. However, in his chat with Rahul, Swaminath left out the part about having to borrow food.

With inputs from ANI