In a bid to connect with the fishermen of Begusarai in the poll-bound Bihar, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday jumped into a muddy pond and tried his hand at fishing.
Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Vikassheel Insan Party chief Mukesh Sahni and Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, took a boat to reach the middle of a pond in Begusarai, where he had just addressed a poll rally.
As the leaders reached the middle of the pond, Sahni, who belonged to the fisherman's community, stripped down to his vest and underpants and cast a net, impressing Gandhi with his skills.
Sahni then encouraged Gandhi to jump into the water, which the Congress leader did, evoking roars of "Rahul Gandhi zindabad."
A large number of fishermen were present at the spot, some of whom dived to join the leaders in chest-deep waters.
A video clip of the incident was shared by the Congress on its X handle, stating Gandhi also discussed with the fishermen "challenges and struggles they face in their work."
The social media post also highlighted the INDIA bloc's promises like an insurance scheme for pisciculture and financial aid of Rs 5,000 to every family of fishermen for the "three-month-long lean period" during which fishing remains prohibited.
The party's state unit also shared the video clip, with the caption, "This is a real pond," in an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reportedly building a separate pool near the polluted Yamuna river in Delhi to take a dip during the Chhath Puja.
Local news channels reported villagers expressing their delight over the former Congress president "shaking hands with us."
One channel reported that Gandhi later went to a nearby house for a change of clothes, where the occupants, all women, gushed, "He washed himself under the hand pump out there and used the decrepit washroom nearby, all without making any fuss."
The Congress leader also made a mention of the incident at the subsequent rally that he addressed in Khagaria.
"A little while ago, I went to catch fish with Sahni ji. Why? Because I want all farmers, fishermen, labourers and other such people who earn their living by the sweat of their brow, to feel that Rahul Gandhi is with them," the Congress leader said.
(With inputs from PTI)
