India man walks 800 miles to 'remind' PM Modi of poll promise
- Published
Muktikant Biswal set out to walk from his home in Orissa state to capital Delhi
An Indian man who walked 1,350km (838 miles) by foot to highlight an "unfulfilled promise" by the prime minister has resumed his trek after a brief stay in hospital.
Muktikant Biswal set out to walk from the eastern state of Orissa to the capital Delhi in the north.
He was hospitalised in Agra, 218km away from his destination.
Mr Biswal said he wanted to "remind" the prime minister of his promise to upgrade a hospital in his state.
He began his walk on 16 April with the Indian flag in hand, through increasingly worsening summer temperatures.
Mr Modi had said in 2015 that the hospital would be converted to a "super speciality facility" similar to the famed All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.
Mr Biswal told the BBC that he wanted to meet the Prime Minister and ask him to fulfil his promise of upgrading the Ispat General Hospital.
"I don't know whether the prime minister will meet me or not," Mr Biswal told the BBC. "If he doesn't meet me, I will go on a hunger strike."
Mr Modi has not reacted to Mr Biswal, whose story gained traction after this tweet by the leader of India's main opposition Congress party.
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Mr Biswal said he was glad that Mr Gandhi had tweeted about his walk and had promised to help, but he did not have details of how.
He is expected to arrive in Delhi later this week.
- Published19 October 2017
- Published6 October 2017