10/10/2010
‘Spectator’ Rahul Gandhi floors all at boxing events
New Delhi: There is something about Rahul Gandhi and his choice of events to watch during the ongoing Commonwealth Games. The Congress Member of Parliament from Amethi watched two high-intensity contact events on Saturday, leaving the competitors, organisers and visitors ‘floored’.
Gandhi was seen first at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium for Boxing and then at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex for Wrestling. On Friday, the young MP had watched Vijender Singh's 16-1 win at the Talkatora Stadium. The boxer had gone over and hugged Gandhi after his bout.
On Saturday, at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Gandhi chose to sit in one of the ticketed stands and stayed away from the VIP enclosure. He was not wearing the accreditation card provided by the Organising Committee to VIPs, which suggests it was a personal visit.
Unlike Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was to give away the medals of the 60 kg Freestyle event, Gandhi's arrival was unannounced. Confusion reigned for a brief period as spectators whipped out camera mobile phones and jostled to shake his hand even as he walked to his seat. Unruffled, he obliged all, including a mother who placed her young daughter in his lap for a picture clicked on her mobile. The politician merrily chatted with the child.
Both Indian wrestlers to enter the mat won their respective freestyle finals -- Yogeshwar Dutt in the 60 kg and Narsingh Yadav in the 74 kg. Drama began after Dutt's 3-1, 6-1 victory.
Dutt did a brief victory lap, at the end of which he went up to Hooda, who was sitting close to the mat. The latter hugged him and both waved to the roaring crowd. Hooda then led Dutt away from the officials and across the mat to where Rahul Gandhi was sitting.
Gandhi, who was talking to an aide sitting next to him, seemed oblivious to the drama unfolding around him. Hooda, Dutt and an entourage took one of the exits and reappeared in the ticketed stands.
They then proceeded to climb the two tiers to Gandhi's seat, where the latter congratulated the winner. Hooda did not stay for Narsingh Yadav's bout and left soon after. Yadav did not repeat the ritual after his victory. Gandhi left after Yadav ended his bout.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi had also visited the Talkatora Indoor stadium for the second successive day. He watched the bouts of Amandeep Singh (49kg) and Suranjoy Singh (52kg), who progressed to the semi finals.
Source: The Indian Express
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