Vijayawada: Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday got a
strange request from a very short person who was looking for a
match -- a grant of Rs one lakh.
As Rahul started his drive back to the airport after
interacting with students at a college here, the Congress
general secretary suddenly asked his Tata Safari to stop
outside the auditorium and stepped out of the vehicle.
As anxious media photographers and cameramen saw Rahul
stepping out of the vehicle, they tried to seize the
opportunity and rushed to mob him.
"I have not stopped for you. I have stopped for him,"
Rahul told the journalists in a rather angry tone, as he
pointed to the short person, who identified himself as A
Nagaraju, standing by the road. Rahul tried to walk up to him
but could not because of the melee caused by the cameramen.
Even as the security personnel accompanying him tried
to control the scene, Rahul silently got back into vehicle.
NSUI president I B Eden, who too got down with Rahul, suffered
a minor bruise on his forehead as a camera mike hit him.
Rahul noticed this and enquired about it with Eden.
After Eden got into the car, the convoy started moving.
But, not to leave an admiring Nagaraju disappointed,
Rahul asked his security personnel to collect the paper that
the former was holding. It was done accordingly.
What did he ask for? "Given my physical condition,
none is coming forward to marry me. Even if someone is ready
for marriage, they are seeking money from me. So, I asked
Rahul for Rs one lakh," Nagaraju said.
"I am unable to do any work because of my condition
and hence want financial help. But the over-active media
spoiled my chance to interact with Rahul," he said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 22:22