Water woes, broken promises dominate Rahul Gandhi's Seelampur rally

Many who turned up at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Seelampur rally expressed their dissatisfaction with the civic upkeep in the area, including an erratic water supply, while low key betraying the nostalgia for the Congress and a desire for "peace".

On Monday, Gandhi held a rally in the northeast Delhi area and harkened back to a time when the city was ruled by Shiela Dikshit.

His first rally ahead of the polls in Delhi was held in the area that was rocked by communal violence in 2020 and resulted in more than 50 deaths. 

"The Aam Aadmi Party claims that it has been distributing clean water to Delhi residents. But people in this area are forced to purchase water from the market," Babarpur resident Amaan Khan, who also complained of dirty water supply, said.

Hazrat Ali and Mohammad Faizi, who work at the jacket market in Jafrabad, said they took a half-day from work to attend Gandhi's rally.

"Although the government is providing free electricity, the quality of water is a major concern for us. Every day we buy water from the market," Faizi said.

On the AAP, he said, "We have given two chances to the party, now we feel that the Congress should be given a chance this time."  Faizi said that Abdul Rehman, the Congress candidate from the Seelampur constituency, was "betrayed by the AAP despite being very active in the development area."  A man, clad in a Congress flag kurta, was seen carrying a 'Tiranga' and wearing a garland of bottles containing dirty water around his neck.

The rally was thronged by women, who said they expect a "peaceful" time if neither BJP nor AAP comes to power in the city.

"We have seen what happened to women in Manipur. We do not want that to happen anywhere in our country. We want a nation where we can live without fear and with full freedom," said Afia, a resident of Seelampur.

Welcoming the Congress' promise of Rs 2,500 to all women if elected to power, another Seelampur resident Sadia said, "This will empower the women in the national capital."  She added, "We feel that the AAP failed to develop the area which was promised by them. Congress did it earlier. Though they do not have a leader like Sheila Dikshit, still we feel that they would run Delhi in a better way."  During his 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' public meeting, Gandhi launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

He said there is no difference between the two leaders and they do not want the backward, Dalits, tribals and minorities to get their due.

Gandhi hailed the work done under three successive Sheila Dikshit governments and asserted that neither Kejriwal nor the BJP could match the Congress' track record.

Several residents were seen watching the rally from their rooftop and waving the Congress' flag.