Congressmen host feasts, distribute gifts on Rahul's birthday

Rahul Gandhi turned 39 today and the Congress utilised the occasion to make a political statement by reaching out to Dalits in Uttar Pradesh and the poor in other parts of the country by hosting feasts and offering gifts.

Outside the 24, Akbar Road AICC headquarters here, Congressmen gathered in large numbers this morning. However, Gandhi was not present as he is out of the country.

Utilising the occasion to woo the Dalit vote-bank, Congress organised community feasts in some slum areas of Uttar Pradesh. Besides party workers held a number of other programmes on "Samrasta Diwas (Harmony Day)", being observed by the party.

Chief of Congress' media department Akhilesh Pratap said that community feasts were held in Dalit colonies in all the districts, where senior leaders hosted lunches and dinners. In Baghpat AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh attended the feast, while all the 21 MPs from the state also organised such feasts in their respective constituencies.

In Rahul's constituency Amethi, community feasts were organised in Kheshaina and Manirampur Dalit colonies and Gauriganj area.

A cake was cut and distributed among residents of Ambedkar Nagar area in Kanpur while the children were given books, pencils and toys.

In Mumbai and Vadodara, Congress workers celebrated the occasion with poor and deprived children.