Sanjay Rana, 45, a resident of Ram Darbar, Chandigarh, who sells “chhole-bhature” on a bicycle at the market of Sector 29-C, Chandigarh has been continuously receiving words of appreciation from his friends, relatives, customers, local residents and politicians since the Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised his initiative on encouraging people to get vaccinated in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on July 25.
Rana, a city-based street-vendor, has hung a board outside his food stall mentioning that one can get his delicious chhole bhature for free, if they have taken the coronavirus vaccine the same day. This message reached Prime Minister Modi.
Talking to ‘The Pioneer’, Rana said, “I have been offering free ‘chhole-bhature’ to those getting vaccinated for the last two and half months. My daughter gave me the idea of serving ‘chhole-bhature’ free of cost to people who had been vaccinated. I felt it was necessary for everyone to get vaccinated and I can do my bit by doing this. A plate of chhole bhature costs Rs 40 and I offer free meals to 30-35 people every day with vaccination certificates. I will continue this offer in the future also, particularly now that my efforts have been recognised.”
Like a normal day, Rana on Monday was witnessed serving chhole-bhature’ to his customers at his work place in Sector 29-C. A large number of new customers also visited his shop and congratulated him for his initiative.
He said that his shop is famous in the whole area by the name of Cycle Wale Chhole Bhature. Many famous people of the city also come to his shop for it. Now the situation has started improving and there is no dearth of customers at his shop. “About 30-35 people get free food from him every day. Feeding more than 30 people definitely affects my budget but we want to get rid of Covid-19 quickly. I have asked my family members to prepare 30 plates extra each day for this initiative.”
Rana, who hails from a village in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh said, “For the last 20 years, I had been in the business for long, like my father before me. We get many customers on a daily basis, which helps me earn my livelihood comfortably.”
Rana, who has taken both doses of covid-19 vaccine said, “Many new customers visited my shop on Monday and ate chhole-bhature. After PM’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme, many NGOs and local people offered me help for this initiative. Many have offered me money to do this act in a big way but I refused to accept their offer. I have decided to continue to do the same in future till I have money in my pocket.”
Modi in his broadcast said, “In Chandigarh’s Sector 29, Sanjay Rana ji runs a food stall and sells chhole bhature on cycle. To eat this delicious chhole bhature for free, you will have to show [proof] that you have taken the Covid-19 vaccine on the same day. It is said that for the welfare of the society more than money, the commitment to serve others and a sense of duty are much more required. Our Sanjay brother has proved this right.”
The street-vendor, who is working hard to make the vaccination campaign against the corona pandemic a success through his food stall, thanked Modi for highlighting his initiative and said, “It is a great honour for me to be recognised by the PM for this initiative. I never thought it would happen. “
He said, “Sunday was a big day for me. I am a small man and Prime Minister mentioned my name in his ‘mann ki baat' programme. I had not expected this. I am very thankful to the Prime Minister for this.”
Rana, who has been a vendor for the last 20 years in the city said, “Covid-19 has adversely affected the business activities in the country. All the people should work unitedly to make the country free of covid pandemic so that everyone can start their life in a normal way.”
After he was praised by the PM, his phone did not stop ringing. He kept getting calls from friends, relatives, local politicians and NGOs. City BJP president Arun Sood and councillors Bharat Kumar and Shakti Prakash Devshali also visited his house on Sunday. “I also received calls from the UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore who is likely to meet him soon,” he said, adding, “We all vendors are working here at Sector 29 C in adverse conditions as there is no proper facility of water and power for them.”