'My Life Has Changed': UP Cobbler Refuses ₹10-Lakh Offer To Sell Shoes Stitched By Rahul Gandhi

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent visit to Sultanpur area in Uttar Pradesh for a court hearing in a defamation case has turned out to be super beneficial for a UP cobbler, Ram Chet, who is now the man in demand.

People now flock to his makeshift shop for selfies, officials check in on him, and passers-by frequently stop their cars to greet him. The credit goes to Rahul Gandhi! During his UP visit, the Lok Sabha LoP interacted with the cobbler and tried his hands at mending shoes.

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“Since Rahul Gandhi visited my shop, my life has changed. People are calling and meeting me. My life has changed since his visit. People are stopping their bikes, cars and greeting me. He has given me a lot of respect,” he told ANI.

The video of Rahul Gandhi stitching a sandal went viral on social media platforms. A day after his visit, the Congress leader gifted the cobbler a sewing machine, making stitching shoes easier.

Since then, people have been offering Ram a huge sum of money for the footwear Gandhi had stitched; they are offering me as much as ₹10 lakhs.

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“The offers are becoming bigger. A person from Pratapgarh confirmed that it is the same shop where Rahul Gandhi stitched the shoes. He offered me ₹5 lakhs to buy that shoes. He offered me bags full of cash, but I refused. I won't sell them. I will keep it to myself only,” he said.

Describing his interaction with the Congress leader, Ram Chet mentioned that Gandhi inquired about his work. "He asked me how I repair shoes, and I demonstrated it to him. He even tried it himself."

Ram Chet resides in a makeshift hut without electricity. Since a photograph of him with Gandhi went viral on social media, officials have begun visiting his dwelling.“Now, administration officials are coming to address my issues, something they never did before.”

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