Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil celebrates Diwali with villagers at Pokhri Banjara Tanda

Jalgaon Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil celebrated Diwali with villagers at Pokhri Banjara Tanda in Dharangaon taluka on Sunday. Under the shadow of drought, he arrived without any official pomp or formality. He spent time with women, elders and young children of the Banjara community.

Patil shared in the villagers' joys and sorrows and heard about their difficulties. His visit doubled the Diwali joy of the people of the tanda.

As soon as the Guardian Minister reached the tanda, women in traditional attire welcomed him with aarti. Women and men performed traditional dances to Banjara and Pawra songs, giving a glimpse of Banjara culture through music, song and dance. The Guardian Minister spoke to the villagers and greeted them on Diwali.

Patil sat in the same row with the villagers, not as Guardian Minister but like a member of the family, and ate the Diwali snacks. The villagers welcomed his simplicity.

Farmers described the financial difficulties caused by crop losses due to deficient rainfall. They expressed the hope that more help would be given in addition to the advance assistance of Rs 5,000 announced by the government. Gulabrao Patil assured them that the government stood with the farmers and would certainly help them.

The Guardian Minister said that many families in the villages were in difficulty because of the drought, and that at such a time it was important to share in the joys and sorrows of one's own people. He said that celebrating Diwali with the mothers, sisters, elders and children of Pokhri tanda gave him the satisfaction of having celebrated the festival in his own family.

Those present included Pratap Patil, Sarpanch Gokul Shinde, Deputy Sarpanch Naval Pardhi, and members Mahendra Patil, Santosh Vanjari, Kisan Rathod, Ramlal Chavan, Indal Chavan, Dhanraj Rathod, Gulab Chavan, Pandurang Chavan, Hiralal Chavan, Tarachand Chavan and Govinda Sonawane. Office-bearers and workers of the Shiv Sena and Yuva Sena, Banjara community women, youths and a large number of villagers were also there.