They’ve crossed 2,600 km in three days on a 150 cc bike to be in the Capital when Narendra Modi is sworn in as Prime Minister.
Bengaluru’s Atull Kumar Sabharwal and his 15-year old son Rahul are die hard Modi-fans who couldn’t be stopped on their mission to reach Delhi even after they were pick pocketed near Vadodara. Originally from Tumkur, Mr. Sabherwal rode all over Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and to Vadodara and Amethi to campaign for the BJP during the polls. And he did this on a nine-year-old Bajaj Pulsar. “Hindustan has finally become free today. I took this trip with my son to encourage people to celebrate the swearing-in as a national festival,” he said.
A software developer, Mr. Sabharwal has developed a traffic management application that requires microchips to be inserted in bike keys that can read fingerprints. “Up to 20 users can be registered on a key. The key will work only if a registered user uses it. The microchip would contain all data of the bike including insurance and location. The owner would get reminders before his insurance expires and if the insurance expires, the bike won’t start,” he explained.
Mr. Sabharwal wants Mr. Modi to implement his app nation-wide, although transport is a concurrent subject. Though. he has not been able to meet the leader he hopes to do so sometime during his tenure.
. The biggest hardship on the trip, ironically struck after they crossed Vadodara, where Mr. Modi won with a record margin. “At 7-30 in the evening, we decided to halt 200 km north of Vadodara. Villagers asked us to sleep in a temple. When I woke up, my wallet was gone. I only had Rs. 500 in my shirt pocket using which I reached Jaipur,” he said.
In Jaipur, he worked at a hotel for a night and earned Rs. 800. Some well wishers also contributed. The bike has a note stuck behind saying that he has lost his money and needs help.
“I rode from 6-30 a.m. to 7-30 p.m. and worked in hotels from 9 p.m. to 3-30 p.m. I am currently staying at the Bangla Sahib Gurdwara. I am not ashamed of doing even manual scavenging if I need to, in order to meet my leader.”
Mr. Sabharwal now has Rs. 800 in his pocket, petrol in his bike and free food from the langar. He’s riding around town with a BJP flag in the hope that the PM will take notice.
