On a cold winter evening in Delhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi walked into a small restaurant in Lodi Colony. An unusual stop after the chaos of a politically charged day in the Parliament. But this was work too, in a way. An informal interaction with students from across India as a part of the Congress' new outreach program, "Apni Baat, Rahul ke Saath."
The students were unaware that they would be meeting Rahul Gandhi, though the posse of security guards and the small crew of media milling outside the restaurant may have alerted them to the possibility that this wasn't a normal "students conclave." Over the course of the next hour or so, the students spoke to Gandhi about the issues which they feel strongly about; from caste-based discrimination in universities to education for women in the Muslim community.
The evening started off with a round of introductions. The seven students seated on the table had come from states like Assam, Maharashtra, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh, and each one had a different perspective they brought to the table.
Rohan Reje Matthew from Kerala is a queer activist, who wants political parties to highlight the concerns of the queer community, like gender-neutral bathrooms in public spaces, and provision of mental health services for queer students in universities. "The queer community can no longer afford to be ignored, silenced, casualised and trivialised," said Rohan, also stating that in his meeting with Gandhi, he was assured that he would be put in touch with the committee responsible for drafting the manifesto for the 2019 general elections.
For Shemaila Ali Khan, a MBBS student from Delhi, the evening was a total surprise. "I didn't know I would be meeting Rahul Gandhi today!" she exclaimed before going on to explain her personal struggle in finding financial and infrastructural support to pursue her medical degree. For her, the issue of girls' education in Muslim communities is not just something which political parties use to score brownie points, but one which feels personal.
Similarly, for Anil Kumar Maurya, a law student from Agra in Uttar Pradesh, atrocities against Dalits is a matter which, in his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, he insisted should be a part of political parties’ agendas.
Curious Onlookers & Worried Journalists
On this side of the glass walls of the restaurant, a different story was playing out.
Intrigued by the sheer number of people, especially some with hefty cameras, in a nondescript neighbourhood market in Lodi Colony, a woman wrapped in mufflers asked, "Kaun hai andar?" The stone-faced security guard gave her a cryptic response.
Meanwhile, regular patrons of the restaurant were surprised when they were told that the restaurant is "shut today." For journalists, after a heavy news day filled with Budget-related stories, each minute the dinner was delayed, meant a faster race to reach the deadline. "You know, on budget days, newspapers are laid to bed early."
The informal dinner being the first in many outreach programmes planned — not just with students but also with YouTube and Twitter influencers — the Congress social media team looked alternately excited and worried.
How elections are fought change with time, but the underlying principle remains the same: how to reach the voters? With his rallies and unconventional outreach initiatives, like this informal dinner, Rahul Gandhi seems to have begun his campaign for 2019 in earnest. Will it have any impact for the Congress? Or will the BJP take the lead in reaching out? That’s a question that’s still up for debate. Maybe over another dinner.
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