Rahul Gandhi stops car in Gondia to meet NSUI worker, then meets families of tribal children who died

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was on a visit to Balaghat on Thursday. He left Birsi airport in Gondia, Maharashtra, by road for Jagla village in Madhya Pradesh. An incident near his vehicle during the journey is being talked about.

When Gandhi's convoy set out from Birsi airport towards Balaghat, NSUI worker Gaurav Bisen is said to have run towards his vehicle, trying to reach it. He had a rose in his hand. Security guards tried to stop him. But when Gandhi noticed this, he had his vehicle stopped, opened the door and spoke to Bisen. He also accepted the rose Bisen offered.

Gandhi then reached Jagla village in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh by road. There he met Baiga tribal families who had lost their children to illness. He met the families, listened to their troubles and asked about them. Cases of tribal children dying because of illness, malnutrition and problems linked to health facilities have been reported from the area.

During the Balaghat visit, Gandhi also went to the government primary school at Mate. He spoke to the children there and asked about their studies and the mid-day meal. In Jagla village he spent time with the affected families. Questions of health, education, employment and basic amenities in the tribal area came up during the meeting.

After completing the Balaghat visit, Gandhi returned to Birsi airport in Gondia and left from there for Delhi. His brief meeting with the worker who ran to give him a rose at Birsi airport has become a talking point locally.