What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
KOTA: In the historic city of Kota, which now holds the title of Tier 1 city, the arrival of phase 2 of the national elections brings massive campaigning and support for Lok Sabha speaker and MP Om Birla. The New Indian team reaches the city to cover the electoral settings and meet the family to uncover their sentiments. The interaction with their siblings says a lot about the Lok Sabha speaker’s journey from Kota to Delhi, which is a source of immense pride for them.
Hari Krishna Birla, Om’s elder brother, recalls their humble beginnings, sharing a small house with nine siblings in a joint family setting, during an interview with The New Indian’s Executive Editor Rohan Dua.
Hari Krishan poignantly recalls, “We had a little house; we shared 6 rooms with 9 siblings even after marriage,” while mentioning their tiny home in Kaithuni Pol in Kota. “On all family functions, we still gather at our ancestral home,” he recalls.
His eyes get moistened as he says the meetings with his brother were reduced to just once every four months. While painting a picture of Om as a compassionate leader, he added, “He rules the hearts of all the party members; he knows all the difficulties of the members just by looking into their eyes.”
Over a question of transformative development in Kota, Hari Krishna credits both Prime Minister Modi and Om Birla for their relentless efforts in implementing central government schemes. Hari Krishnan takes a swipe at BJP rebel and Congress candidate Prahlad Gunjal’s defection from the saffron party to join Opposition ranks.
He says, “BJP only cares about the party and PM Modi; they don’t care about others or people who have defected from the party. Disha , the youngest sibling of Birla, can’t hide her pride in her brother’s achievements is heartfelt.
Clad in a cheap saree, she flashes a broken Samsung phone with a broken screen of which back panel has a sticker that reads — Modi Ka Parivar, 400 Par. She speaks of the entire Kota-Bundi region swelling with pride at Birla’s success, confident in his victory with over five lakh votes.
Disha fondly recalls their childhood, which was marked by affection and unity. When asked about Birla’s inclination towards studies, she said, “He was intelligent from the beginning, and so was interested in politics from an early age,”.
Disha though regrets that she could never meet PM Modi, adding to Hari Krishan’s resolve that no one from family ever has misused Birla’s credentials to secure any favours and let of their modesty and simplicity of Kota household. On being asked if she has watched him address the parliament, she delightfully answers, “I watch and feel good seeing my brother sitting at such a high post and speaking so well.”
Disha and Hari Krishan’s admiration for their brother extends to their visits to the new parliament. Amid political debates about Kota’s rise to Tier 1 status, Disha unequivocally attributes it to Birla’s tireless efforts, especially evident during the challenging times of the pandemic when he ensured the delivery of oxygen and medicines to homes.
“His work during Covid saved many lives that I as a sister am proud of,” says Disha. Both siblings of Birla express their desire to see him continue his journey of leadership, whether as Lok Sabha speaker or minister, trusting in the wisdom of Prime Minister Modi’s decisions.
