04-23-2008, 05:11 AM
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BJP CM delivers on Rahul's promise
23 Apr 2008, 0343 hrs IST,Suchandana Gupta,TNN
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BHOPAL: When Rahul Gandhi promised a tribal widow Rs 20,000 for her daughter's marriage, little did he realise that the promise would be an embarrassment to him. While he forgot about the promise, sensing opportunity, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan stepped in and gave the amount in an apparent bid to steal a march on the Gandhi scion.
On April 15, Rahul, during his visit to village Tapariya Baissa, in north MP, spent the night sleeping on a coarse cot. There, Bhobani Saur, a Gond woman who cooked dinner â sabzi-puris â for Rahul Gandhi and party workers, sought monetary help for her daughter's wedding a week later. Rahul promised her help.
On Tuesday morning, when Bhobani was getting her daughter Kamla ready for the wedding, she was pleasantly surprised when a team of officers from the Tribal Welfare department handed her a packet with Rs 20,000 for Kamla.
Bhobani was told: "CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan and the BJP state government have sent the money for Kamla's wedding." Officials told her and village elders that the money was not sent by Rahul.
Tikamgarh collector Vivek Porwal said: "Rs 6,000 was given from the CM's Kanyadaan Yojana and Rs 14,000 CM's discretionary fund... Bhobani is poor. She lost her husband 20 years ago and we were informed by our field staff that she desperately needed money for her daughter's wedding."
After Rahul's stay, Tapariya Baissa came to media's attention and Bhobani was in the headlines. The media interviewed her and she spoke of her conversation with Rahul including his financial promise.
BJP CM delivers on Rahul's promise
23 Apr 2008, 0343 hrs IST,Suchandana Gupta,TNN
Print Save EMail Write to Editor
BHOPAL: When Rahul Gandhi promised a tribal widow Rs 20,000 for her daughter's marriage, little did he realise that the promise would be an embarrassment to him. While he forgot about the promise, sensing opportunity, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan stepped in and gave the amount in an apparent bid to steal a march on the Gandhi scion.
On April 15, Rahul, during his visit to village Tapariya Baissa, in north MP, spent the night sleeping on a coarse cot. There, Bhobani Saur, a Gond woman who cooked dinner â sabzi-puris â for Rahul Gandhi and party workers, sought monetary help for her daughter's wedding a week later. Rahul promised her help.
On Tuesday morning, when Bhobani was getting her daughter Kamla ready for the wedding, she was pleasantly surprised when a team of officers from the Tribal Welfare department handed her a packet with Rs 20,000 for Kamla.
Bhobani was told: "CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan and the BJP state government have sent the money for Kamla's wedding." Officials told her and village elders that the money was not sent by Rahul.
Tikamgarh collector Vivek Porwal said: "Rs 6,000 was given from the CM's Kanyadaan Yojana and Rs 14,000 CM's discretionary fund... Bhobani is poor. She lost her husband 20 years ago and we were informed by our field staff that she desperately needed money for her daughter's wedding."
After Rahul's stay, Tapariya Baissa came to media's attention and Bhobani was in the headlines. The media interviewed her and she spoke of her conversation with Rahul including his financial promise.