The much-awaited interaction between AICC president
Rahul Gandhi and
pourakarmikas materialised nearly two hours behind schedule and lasted only a few minutes. But the civic workers looked satisfied with the
Congress scion striking a connect with them that was not only instantaneous but also natural.
Gandhi chose to sit with with the BBMP's cleaning staff instead of addressing them from the podium at Jakkarayanakere slum. There were no speech or initial remarks by Congress leaders as the AICC president pulled a chair as soon as he arrived at 11.30 am and sat close to his audience which was waiting for him since 9 am.
Chief Minister
Siddaramaiah, KPCC president G Parameswar, party state working president Dinesh Gundu Rao and city mayor R Sampath Raj followed suit and sat among the crowd comprising mostly women pourakarmikas.
"Namaskar… I have come to listen to you. Want to hear from you…What is the biggest problem according to you and what according to you should the government do in the next five years? So no speech from our side," Gandhi told the cheering gathering.
When a leader of pourakarmikas, Oblesh, tried explaining the issues in English, the Congress president asked him to speak in Kannada so that the audience could understand. The Congress leader's gesture earned him a big round of applause.
"We are happy that the state government has increased our daily wages, but our request to the government is that the service of contract employees must be regularised," said Jayamma, a pourakarmika.
Siddaramaiah intervened at this stage to explain to Gandhi how his government hiked the daily wages of pourakarmikas from Rs. 7,730 to Rs. 14,040 a month. "We will emulate
Karnataka and implement this at the Centre when we come to power," Rahul said.
"The civic workers are now demanding that their services be regularised and the government is ready to oblige," the CM added.
Muthaylu, a pouarakarmika, expressed his happiness over the state government's initiative to provide the cleaning staff with provident fund and ESI benefits.
On arrival at the slum, Rahul entered a house and savoured the upma offered to him.
"He is so simple and unassuming that I feel like speaking to a family member," said an elated Indiramma, a pourakarmika who had come all the way from Chalawadipalya to take part in the interactive session.