Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 7 (NationPress) In a striking irony that highlights the divide between political promises and actual conditions, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's celebrated attempt to empower a Dalit artisan in Uttar Pradesh has become a symbol of neglect.

As Rahul Gandhi intensifies his Bihar election campaign with passionate pledges to uplift Dalits and marginalized groups, the plight of Ramchait Mochi, a cancer-stricken cobbler from Sultanpur district, reveals a poignant narrative of unfulfilled aspirations.

Back in 2023, during one of his outreach initiatives in the region, Gandhi gifted a shiny shoe-making machine to Ramchait, a 58-year-old Dalit cobbler hailing from Dhesaruwa village.

This gesture was celebrated by Congress supporters as a prime example of self-sufficiency aimed at supporting traditional artisans facing economic challenges.

Images of the event, showing Gandhi smiling alongside Ramchait, circulated widely on social media, portraying a narrative of inclusive development.

However, that machine now sits abandoned in a corner of Ramchait's humble dwelling, coated in dust and cobwebs, silently embodying broken dreams. Raghav Mochi, Ramchait's 28-year-old son and the family's sole provider, shared a heartbreaking story with IANS.

"The machine was a good idea, but it never materialized. My father was already battling health issues when it arrived, and now he is bedridden with late-stage cancer," Raghav recounted.

Diagnosed with throat cancer two years ago, Ramchait's health has rapidly declined. Confined to a rickety charpoy in their single-room home, the once diligent cobbler can hardly speak, let alone function machinery.

The family, subsisting on Raghav's meager earnings as a farm laborer – making no more than Rs 200-300 on good days – teeters on the edge of poverty.

Medical expenses have accumulated, compelling them to borrow from neighbors, making basic necessities like medications a luxury. In a desperate plea, Raghav has directly reached out to Gandhi for financial assistance.

"Sir, you once gave us hope. Now, we require something tangible – funds for treatment, perhaps Rs 50,000 to begin with. My father revered you – please don't let him down," he appealed.

When IANS contacted the frail Ramchait, who could only whisper through labored breaths, his words dripped with quiet desperation.

"The machine... it's worthless now. Pain everywhere. If Rahul ji remembers us, just a bit of aid for the hospital," he murmured, tears brimming as he clutched a faded photo from the gifting ceremony. This situation has resonated throughout Dhesaruwa, a cluster of mud-brick homes where Dalits dominate.

The village chief, Arshad, a well-respected figure in the community, expressed his concern.

"Ramchait's case is heartbreaking. The machine was a symbol, but symbols don't treat cancer. He requires adequate medical care – possibly in Delhi or Mumbai, where facilities are superior. Financial support from the leader who highlighted his plight would be invaluable. We've reached out to local Congress representatives, but there's been no response yet," Arshad told IANS, underscoring the community's mounting disillusionment.

This occurrence couldn't have come at a worse moment for Rahul Gandhi, who has made Dalit empowerment a focal point of his Bihar campaign.

At rallies in Patna and Muzaffarpur last week, he referenced similar instances of "corporate exploitation" and vowed to implement schemes like enhanced reservations and welfare funds for Scheduled Castes.

Critics, including BJP spokespersons, are already leveraging the Sultanpur narrative to challenge the prevailing narrative. "Rahul ji's promises resemble that dusty machine – initially shiny but forgotten soon after," quipped a local BJP leader, calling for an audit of all such "gifts" attributed to Congress.

For the Mochi family, however, this is no political tool; it's a struggle for existence. As winter's chill approaches, Raghav wonders if his father's plea will resonate beyond the campaign trail.

Rahul Gandhi's office has yet to respond to IANS inquiries, but whispers in the corridors of power suggest internal evaluations of such "flagship" initiatives.

Will this overlooked gift stimulate genuine action, or will it fade into electoral amnesia? In the heartland's quiet villages, where votes are cast with memories of broken promises, the outcome could influence more than one ballot box.