Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national leader, invited a Dalit man and his family from Gujarat to his residence in the national capital for a lunch on Sunday.
During a town hall meeting with sanitation workers, mostly from the Dalit community, in Ahmedabad, a man called Harsh Solanki expressed his delight that Kejriwal was reaching out to the Dalit community, something he said no other leader had done since Independence.
Solanki said he recently saw Kejriwal accept a dinner invitation from an autorickshaw driver. "I would like to make a request. Will you visit my house, a Dalit man's house, like the way you went to the house of an autorickshaw driver during your visit here 15-20 days ago," asked Solanki.
.
In reply, Kejriwal said, "I have seen that every leader visits the house of a Dalit for a meal to show off. Till today, no leader has invited a Dalit to his house for a meal." In the same breath, the Delhi Chief Minister asked if Solanki would come to Delhi to break bread with him, an offer that the latter accepted with humility.
When asked who was in his family, Solanki said that he lived with his brother, sister, and parents. Kejriwal added that he will arrange flights for Solanki and his family. "On Monday, you and your family will dine together at the Chief Minister's residence. I will pay you a visit the next time I am in Ahmedabad "Kejriwal said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who was also present at the town hall, jumped into action and announced that Solanki and his family would be staying at Punjab Bhavan during their visit to the national capital.
Kejriwal also accepted an invitation to name a library maintained by Dalit youngsters near the townhall's location.
Kejriwal told the crowd that a Congress leader's office contains images of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, but a BJP leader's office has a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
READ|
