Varanasi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, who is in Varanasi to chair the G-20 meeting, had breakfast with party colleagues at the house of Dalit booth president, Sujata Kumari this morning.
Sources said the act is aimed at wooing Dalits and strengthening the party's support base ahead of the elections. Jaishankar's visit to the BJP Dalit leader's house for breakfast is to convey the message that BJP works for development taking everyone together, sources said.
Talking to reporters, Jaishankar said the breakfast was delicious. "The G-20 meeting will start from today. A host of issues ranging from food security, food grains and fertilisers along with environment protection will be discussed at the summit," he said.
Meanwhile, BJP block president of Maldahia Sujatha said that her entire family was busy for the last two days in making preparations to welcome the foreign minister. "I cannot believe that a leader of such stature has come to our house," Sujatha said adding that she cooked two kinds of vegetable curry, kachoris and deserts for the minister.
Depicting a similar gesture prior to the West Bengal assembly elections, Union home minister Amit Shah visited a tribal family in Chaturthi village in Bankura district on November 5 2020 and had lunch with them. The move had drawn criticism from chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who termed it to be a "show-off" and alleged that the food was prepared somewhere else by a Brahmin cook. Also there are many such instances where Prime Minister and other BJP leaders have shared food with Dalit workers in the past.
Also Read: Varanasi to host G20 development ministers meeting from Sunday; EAM Jaishankar to chair
Hemant Kumar Madhuri, professor of political science at Benaras Hindu University said such stunts before the elections is always aimed at gaining political advantage. Often such moves have helped political parties to get benefitted during the polls, she said.
Meanwhile, the G-20 summit will be held in Varanasi from June 11 to 13. There will be a special video address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
