Need to empower bike mechanics to strengthen automobile industry: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, July 9 Days after former Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited the motor bike market in Delhi and interacted with bike mechanics, he shared his conversation with them on his social media channel on Sunday saying their achievements drive the country’s progress. 

He also asserted that to strengthen the automobile industry of the country, there is need to empower the mechanics.

“India’s super mechanic - whose achievement drives the country’s progress. The new destination of Bharat Jodo, the streets of Karol Bagh - where in the Bike Market, servicing a bike with Umaid Shah, Vicky Sen and Manoj Paswan and got an in-depth understanding of the work of a mechanic. To strengthen the automobile industry of India, there is a need to empower the mechanics of India,” Rahul Gandhi said in the tweet attaching the video of his interaction with the bike mechanics here.

Rahul Gandhi had visited a bike mechanic workshop in Delhi’s Karol Bagh area in June this year, while interacting with the mechanics at the workshop he even tried to repair the motorcycles.

In the video, a mechanic says that Rahul Gandhi himself visited his garage and tried to repair the broken bikes.

In the video Rahul Gandhi can be seen repairing the bikes, interacting with them and even having a cup of tea.

“He came to know from us how poor people lead their lives. What problems they are facing,” the mechanic can be heard saying in the video.

To this, the Gandhi scion replied, “I have KTM 390 but I don’t use it, my security men don’t allow me. I’ve come here to learn from you all.”

“What about your marriage? When will it happen Sir? Without your services, this cannot work,” Rahul Gandhi asked the mechanics.

Congress, later in a statement said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra was all about learning by listening to the voices of all sections of Indians, especially those who haven’t been able to tell their stories of Triumphs and Travails.

“The next pitstop of this journey was at the Biker’s market in Karol Bagh, New Delhi where I met a group of super mechanics, and had open and candid conversations with these hard-working men who keep the wheels of Bharat moving,” it said.

In the video, Rahul Gandhi can be seen visiting bike mechanic shops.

A bike mechanic shop owner told Rahul Gandhi that he works on the bore repairing of the bike engines, cranks and other parts.

He also said that his family has been in the mechanic job since 1947.

The bike mechanic also told him that he had water in his lungs as he used to do electric, gas welding.

Rahul Gandhi asked him, if he used to wear a mask while welding, to which the mechanic replied in negative.

Rahul Gandhi then advised him to wear a mask to avoid the fumes, to which the mechanic said that he feels difficulty while working with a mask.

The mechanic told the Congress leader that he is taking medicines for heart issues and diabetes and his heart rate is only 25 per cent, which earlier was 18 per cent.

The Congress leader then also asked him to take care of his health

He then visited a bullet repair shop, where the owner showed him how repairing of the old bikes were being done and he also showed his photograph to the Congress leader of his visit to Leh Ladakh in 1980 by his own bike.

Rahul Gandhi then replied to him that he too wants to visit via road and asked if he took the Manali, Rohatang and Leh route to reach there.

Another bike mechanic told Rahul Gandhi that it took him four years to learn repairing the bike.

“I made an effort to understand the difficulties and know the dreams of mechanics in India,” Rahul Gandhi said in the video.

He also said that as he taught me the nuances of servicing a bike, Umed Shah, a senior mechanic, told me how poverty had forced him to stop his studies and become a mechanic, like his elder brother, decades ago.

“Manoj Paswan and Vicky Sen told me how the meager returns of their profession worried them everyday, because of the responsibilities of family life. I saw many others facing similar problems, working hard to make ends meet, even at the cost of their health,” Rahul Gandhi said.

“Our mechanics toil to sustain the automobile industry - they deserve access to better facilities and the best opportunities. In the prosperity and well-being of every individual and workers of every profession lies India's true progress,” he added.

Even Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said: “Taking forward the series of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi met the mechanics of Karol Bagh. During the conversation, he tried to see and understand what the life of a common mechanic is like. What kind of challenges do they have to face?

“These are the hands that take our country forward. It is very important to understand their concerns and grievances and create a system that gives them access to better facilities and opportunities,” Ramesh added.

On Friday, Rahul Gandhi visited Madina village in Haryana’s Sonepat and interacted with them.

The Congress leader has surprised the people with his sudden visits among the public. In March this year, he visited the Bengali Market and Jama Masjid area in the national capital.

Later, he went to Mukherjee Nagar area and interacted with UPSC aspirants.

Rahul Gandhi also went to Delhi University’s PG men’s hostel over lunch and then Haryana’s Murthal and from there he took a truck ride till Ambala.

During his recent visit to the US, Gandhi had also taken a truck ride from New York to Washington DC. While in Karnataka during the Assembly elections, he had interacted with the delivery partners and took a scooter ride with them.

Rahul Gandhi had completed his 4,000 km Bharat Jodo Yatra from Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari to Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar between September 7 last year till January 30 this year.

After his yatra concluded on January 30, he has been interacting with people.

--IANS

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