While many tend to remember Gautam Gambhir for his cricketing heroics or his vocal nationalist stance, not many know that the cricketer-turned-politician is a staunch activist for LGBT rights. Last Raksha Bandhan, he celebrated with members of the transgender community.
While many tend to remember Gautam Gambhir for his cricketing heroics or his vocal nationalist stance, not many know that the cricketer-turned-politician is a staunch activist for LGBT rights. Last Raksha Bandhan, he celebrated with members of the transgender community.
Gambhir has always been an ally of the transgender community and used his social clout to speak up for them. Last year at the Hijra Habba Gambhir had said: “I am really happy that section 377 has been scrapped and I want to congratulate everyone for this judgement. I am supporting them (the community) and the cause of this event, which is to accept the community as they are. One thing I can assure that we can’t grow and move forward without involving anyone. They are as Indians as we are and should be treated with dignity and respect.”
He had been welcomed as a ‘brother’ to the event. Reacting to his candidature, Abhina Aher, transactivist wrote on Twitter, “More power to @GautamGambhir who is contesting for election from #EastDelhi for #Election2019. I adore Gautam bhai since I have seen him doing unconditional Community work and being honest for his words. I wish him best for #LokSabhaElection2019.”
More power to @GautamGambhir who is contesting for election from #EastDelhi for #Election2019. I adore Gautam bhai since I have seen him doing unconditional Community work and being honest for his words. I wish him best for #LokSabhaElection2019 pic.twitter.com/CH7UPUojAT
— abheena aher (@meisabheena) April 24, 2019
To this, Gautam Gambhir had replied: “Thanks a lot ur words means a lot to me hopefully I can live up all ur expectations and b honest to whttever I do. Thanks once again.”
“It’s not about being a man or a woman. It’s about being a HUMAN.” With proud transgenders Abhina Aher and Simran Shaikh and their Rakhi love on my hand. I’ve accepted them as they are. Will you? #respecttransgenders pic.twitter.com/6gBOqXu6nj
— Chowkidar Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) August 25, 2018
1. Gambhir among richest candidates
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Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir is the richest among all the candidates in fray for the Lok Sabha election in Delhi with total assets worth Rs 147 core. The cricketer-turned-politician, who will be making his electoral debut from East Delhi, has shown an income of nearly Rs 12.40 crore in the income tax returns filed for 2017-18.
His wife Natasha Gambhir declared an income of Rs 6.15 lakh in the IT returns filed during the same period. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari has a total of movable and immovable assets worth over Rs 24 crore, an increase of over Rs 4.33 crore from 2014, according to his poll affidavit. He has shown an income of Rs 48.03 lakh in the income tax return for 2017-18 while in the affidavit filed in 2014, he had declared an income of over Rs 85 lakh. BJP MP from South Delhi Ramesh Bidhuri has movable and immovable assets worth Rs 18 crore, an increase of close to Rs 3.5 crore in the last five years, according to his affidavit. Bidhuri, his wife and dependent Himanshu have shown an income of over Rs 16.72 lakh, Rs 3.09 lakh and Rs 3.18 lakh respectively in the IT returns filed in 2017-18.
2. Three way battle in Delhi
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Delhi will witness a pitched three-corner contest in the Lok sabha polls between the BJP, the AAP and the Congress with several heavyweights including former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, ex-cricketer Gautam Gambhir and Vijender Singh in the fray.
While the BJP is seeking to repeat its 2014 performance of winning all the seven seats, the AAP is looking to open its account in the Lok Sabha polls from the national capital. In 2014, it drew a blank in Delhi, but won four seats in Punjab.
The Congress, on the other hand, is seeking resurrection after its decimation in the 2015 Assembly polls.
In the 2013 Assembly polls, the AAP bagged 29.49 per cent of votes, while the BJP got 33.07 per cent votes. The Congress was relegated to the third position with 24.55 per cent of vote share.
In the 2014 Modi-wave, the BJP bagged seven seats with over 46 per cent of vote share while the AAP got 32 per cent. The Congress share declined to 15 per cent.
The Congress vote share further declined in the 2015 Assembly polls to nine per cent while the AAP's share rose to 54 per cent. The BJP's vote share was 32 per cent.
