Former India cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir is fast making a name for himself with his humanitarian gestures. The World Cup-winner, who was elected as a Member of Parliament from East Delhi last year, has come up with yet another incredible gesture for his constituency. He is all set to launch a community canteen service in East Delhi.

The BJP MP will launch ‘Jan Rasoi’ canteens that will serve lunch to the needy at Re. 1 in his parliamentary constituency. Gambhir has planned to open at least one ‘Jan Rasoi’ canteen in each of the 10 assembly constituencies in East Delhi. The former India opener will inaugurate the first such canteen in Gandhi Nagar on Thursday, followed by another in Ashok Nagar on Republic Day, according to Hindustan Times.

According to the statement released by Gambhir’s office, the canteen will have a capacity to accommodate 100 people at a time. But presently, it will only allow 50 persons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lunch will comprise rice, lentils and vegetable curries. The project is being funded by Gautam Gambhir Foundation and the MP’s personal resources, and has no government support, the statement said.

Everybody has the right to healthy and hygienic food, says Gambhir

Speaking on his latest project, Gautam Gambhir highlighted the need of every person having the right to healthy and hygienic food. The legendary cricketer expressed his disappointment over some people not being able to afford food even twice a day. He also pointed out how the migrant labourers were forced out of Delhi due to lack of food in the wake of the pandemic outbreak.

“I have always felt that everybody has the right to healthy and hygienic food irrespective of caste, creed, religion or financial condition. It is saddening to see the homeless and destitute not being able to get even two square meals a day. The ‘Jan Rasoi’ at Gandhi Nagar, one of the biggest wholesale garment markets in the country, will be a full modern canteen which will provide lunch to those in need for just Re 1,” Gautam Gambhir said according to a statement from his office.

“Some states run canteens which provide subsidised food to the needy but the national capital has no such facility where low priced good food is made available to people. During the lockdown too, we witnessed thousands of migrant labourers being forced to leave the city due to lack of food and other basic resources,” he added.

वादे नहीं, इरादे लाया हूँ…

ना मन्दिर से आरती, ना मस्जिद से आज़ान लाया हूँ…

ना राम का वास्ता, ना मोहम्मद की दुआ लाया हूँ…

इंसान हूँ, इंसान के लिए दो रोटी लाया हूँ….

वादे नहीं, इरादे लाया हूँ… #JanRasoi #FoodForAll pic.twitter.com/pFDm0MLWaR

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) December 24, 2020