Rahul meets family of injured youth who went to US via ‘donkey’ route
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi visited Ghoghripur village on Friday to meet the family of Amit Maan, a local youth who was recently injured in an accident in the US. Maan had travelled to the US through the “donkey route,” a dangerous illegal immigration path that involves passing through multiple countries. During his recent visit to the US, Gandhi met Maan and promised to visit his family after returning to India. Fulfiling that promise, he arrived at the village around 6 am.
Rahul spent over an hour with the family, expressing concern for Amit’s well-being. He also met the families of five other youth who had similarly travelled abroad through the donkey route in the past a couple of years. The families shared their struggles with unemployment, which they said was driving the local youth to take such high risks in search of better opportunities overseas.
The Congress leader’s visit was kept completely confidential and low profile. Gharaunda candidate Virender Rathore and Jagdeep Singh Virk, husband of former MLA and party candidate from Karnal Sumita Singh had the information about the visit.
Maan’s elder brother Ajit revealed that they had spent Rs 42 lakh to send him to the US, selling three acres of land and borrowing money by mortgaging their home around one and a half years ago.
Bheermati, Amit’s mother, expressed her gratitude and surprise at Rahul’s visit. “We were shocked that Rahul came to our house. We were not aware of his arrival. We are thankful that he met my son in the US and now came to see us. It shows he cares about the people of the country,” she said.
During the visit, Rahul also heard similar stories from other families. Vedpal, a resident of Birchpur village whose son Ankit Kajal also went to the US via the same illegal route, highlighted unemployment as a major issue forcing the youth to go abroad. He narrated how they had struggled to send their son abroad. The family expressed their appreciation for Rahul’s visit by gifting him homemade desi ghee, butter, and lassi.
Mother, wife and brother of Hanif, another youth, who also went to the US around one-and-a-half year ago via the same illegal route, also shared their plight. They informed Rahul that Hanif had received a fracture in a leg while jumping the wall while entering the US.
Satinder Mann, whose brother Tajinder has been helping local youth in settling in the US for over 10 years, informed Rahul that desperation drives young people to take the donkey route. “Rahul Gandhi asked us why so many youth are leaving, and we told him it’s unemployment,” Satinder said. “My brother helps every youth who reaches the US on humanitarian grounds.”
They also informed Rahul about the growing issue of unemployment in rural areas, and they warmly appreciated his gesture. Rahul was also welcomed by Tajinder’s mother and family members.
Later, Rahul had a brief stay outside the farmhouse of the party candidate from Gharaunda Virender Rathore near Bastara toll plaza, where he was welcomed by the party workers, locals. People also clicked selfies with Rahul.
