Rahul Gandhi in Karnal to meet family of youth injured in accident abroad

When contacted, local Congress leaders in Karnal said there was no prior intimation of Gandhi's visit and they came to know only after he reached Ghogripur village.

Chandigarh: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday reached a village in Haryana's Karnal district to meet with the family of a young man who was injured in an accident abroad.

According to the family, Gandhi had met the injured youth, Amit, during his recent US visit.

When contacted, local Congress leaders in Karnal said there was no prior intimation of Gandhi's visit and they came to know about it only after he reached Ghogripur village.

Gandhi's sudden visit to Haryana to meet the family comes at a time when the assembly polls are a fortnight away.

In the October 5 Haryana polls, the Congress, which is eyeing to wrest power from the ruling BJP, has made farmers and unemployment key poll issues.

Speaking to media persons in the village, Amit's brother Ajit said Gandhi reached their home around 6 am.

A few families from the neighbourhood also joined, he said.

"My younger brother currently lives in the US. We are from a poor family. Amit suffered an accident a few months back. At present, he is in terrible shape, he is unable to eat properly and is going through a lot of problems. Rahul-ji had met him in the US and told him he would visit his family," Ajit added.

He said Amit went to the US in search of a livelihood and the family sold a small piece of land and mortgaged their home to finance him.

Ajit said Gandhi assured them of help in this difficult hour.

"We told him that Amit had gone abroad over a year ago to earn a livelihood. Rahul-ji also talked about agriculture and asked about unemployment. There were a few more families present," he said.

Amit's mother Bhimmati said Gandhi was at their home for nearly 90 minutes and they served him tea.

"During this, we also spoke to Amit over a video call," she said.

Some villagers said many youngsters from the village have gone abroad for a livelihood.

In the past too, Rahul Gandhi has made impromptu visits to Haryana.

Over a year ago, the Congress leader made a stop at Madina village in Sonipat district, interacted with the people and spent time with farmers working on agricultural farms.

He had also taken part in paddy sowing, drove a tractor and ate food brought by women labourers working in the fields.

Earlier, undertaking a night journey, Gandhi had travelled in a truck from Delhi to Chandigarh crossing through Haryana to listen to the problems faced by the truck drivers.