These days,a bald man with his whole body painted in saffron,white and green colours,is a regular feature in Congress rallies across the state. Meet 38-year-old Vinod Kumar a self-proclaimed sewadaar of the Congress who can be seen taking part in the rallies wearing only a dhoti and carrying the party flag. A resident of Panipat in Haryana,Kumar who is 5 feet 7 inches in height and weighs 60 kg has been making the rounds of such events for the last three years. The result: his skin has developed allergies because of the colours. I have three children. My wife and the eldest son have started objecting to my passion,as my skin has started peeling off from several places. But I plan to continue like this, said Kumar. Every time before getting painted,Kumar oils his body. He also takes medicines to avoid itching. Kumar,who was seen in the Congress Ferozepur rally,said: Around three years ago,I used to paint my body in the partys colours on my own. Later,the leaders liked this and started giving me schedules for the rallies to be held in different states. Now,I have full the schedule of rallies. He added: While it takes a painter 2 to 3 hours to paint my body,at least 5 hours is needed to remove the colours. In winters,it is not only difficult to wear less clothes,but also to remain in contact with water for about 5 hours to remove the paint. Therefore,during winters,he switches to dhoti-kurta and paints only his face. Asked about his special diet,Kumar said: If I gain weight,my painted body will look ugly with a bulging stomach. So,I have a restricted diet and take lots of fluids,fruits and salads. According to Kumar,before a rally,party co-ordinators provide him with his lodging and travel expenses. But he does not demand any money for his job. When asked how he earns his livelihood as he has no other job,he refused to comment. At times,Kumar is also seen walking across the stage in a rally with a party flag in his hand. In Ferozepur,he was invited by senior Congress leader Parminder Singh Pinki. At the rally,Kumars had also written Pinkis name on his body. I wanted to write about Captain sahib,but the painter wrote something else, said Kumar. So far,he has taken part in rallies in states including Punjab,Haryana,Rajasthan and Bihar. His next stop: Abohar and Sangrur.
