Mumbai: It isn’t every day that an 11-year-old girl gets to meet the chief minister, let alone interview him. Drishti Harchandani from J.B. Petit School managed to do both and more.
She took Devendra Fadnavis’ autograph and made him speak to her dad on the phone.
Ms Harchandani was out Sunday afternoon to meet the newly-elected CM at the Sahyadri Guesthouse, Malabar Hill, after a brief chat with her mother Daani about Maharashtra’s first BJP chief minister.
Drishti Harchandani,a school girl wanted to interview me. She could not enter the office as the security persons did not allow her. (2/n)
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) November 3, 2014In a moment of excitement, she went up to the guesthouse and luckily, met the CM who was impressed with the letter she wrote after being stopped by the security outside the guesthouse the first time.
“Dear Chief Minister, the security isn’t allowing me in. If and when you get my let ter, please call on my cell or send someone to the address below that you are ‘officially’ calling me in,” Ms Harchandani wrote in her letter to Mr Fadnavis. “Please do not ignore this letter,” wrote the feisty girl.
What happened next was described by a CMO official present at the venue as: “The security sent the letter to the CM, who eventually called her in. Ms Harchandani interviewed the CM and also wrote his answers on a notepad. The chief minister enjoyed her questions.”
She asked questions like what would I do for education sector&how our Govt would control price rise,just like a Professional Journalist(5/n)
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) November 3, 2014Coming from a girl studying in class 5, Ms Harchandani ’s questions were impressive: “How do you feel after becoming the CM?”, “What are the changes you are going to make in Maharashtra?” and “What are your feelings about BJP and what will you do to curb inflation?” among others.
Ms Daani Harchandani said, “My daughter was very excited after meeting the CM. I was surprised to how she managed to meet him. I am proud of her and for having a CM like Mr Fadnavis,” before adding that Ms Harchandani had become a fan of the chief minister.
After the interview Mr Fadnavis tweeted: I got a surprising message yesterday, when I was busy with my work in the government guest house in Mumbai. Drishti Harchandani, a schoolgirl wanted to interview me... I was pleasantly surprised by her persistence and curiosity...She asked questions like what would I do for education sector and how our Govt would control price rise, just like a Professional Journalist.”
