Pakistan MP Abdul Rehman attends Indian National Lok Dal’s Diwali event at Chautala village

New Delhi: A felicitation ceremony of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) to mark the victory of its two legislators in the Haryana Assembly elections 2014, both hailing from the Chautala family saw the participation of Pakistani Parliamentarian Abdul Rehman Kanju.

The event, coinciding with Diwali celebrations turned many heads and also set tongues wagging among locals particularly youth as they curiously discussed the attendance of a Pakistani lawmaker in an event organised at the popular Chautala village in Sirsa.

The party also shared on its social media handle how Chautala residents held a grand reception for the chief guest of the event – Pakistani politician Abdul Rehman Kanju.

The felicitation ceremony was organised to celebrate the resurgence of INLD in Haryana politics and also to mark the Chautala clan taking on the mantle of its ancestors. In the 2019 elections, INLD was completely decimated with just Abhay Singh Chautala securing his seat; however, in the 2024 elections, the party’s vote share has seen modest gains. Arjun Chautala won Rania Assembly seat and Aditya Devilal Chautala won Dabwali, both with a margin of about 50,000 votes.

Abdul Rehman Kanju thanked the residents of Chautala village for giving a warm reception and said that he was overwhelmed with their love and warmth.

Recalling his ancestral links to a village near Punjab, he said that he lost his father at an early age and talked about the support he got from the Chautala family.

He expressed gratitude to the family for supporting him through the difficult phases of life and said that the Chautala family has been committed to people’s welfare for many decades and continues to do so till date.

He also extended Diwali greetings to all the villagers and prayed for the long life of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala.

“I appeal to the youth to always respect their elders as they are our guiding force,” he said addressing the crowd.

The INLD also issued an official statement on last evening’s felicitation Diwali function and said that the chief guest from Pakistan made the event more special.

“The hearts of all the villagers and our family member and MP Abdul Rehman Saheb, who came as the chief guest from Pakistan on this special occasion, for the felicitation ceremony organised to welcome Aditya Devi Lal and Arjun Singh Chautala on the land of our ancestral village Chautala yesterday evening, express our deepest gratitude. His participation in the event has made it all the more special.

Notably, Chautala village in Haryana’s Sirsa district has been home to as many as five Members of Parliament, 14 MLAs and a Deputy Prime Minister.

IANS