‘Promises not met’: Slain soldier’s kin oppose soil collection for memorial
RUDRAPUR: Mother of a soldier, who died fighting terrorists, resisted Uttarakhand soldier welfare department officials and local representatives from collecting soil to be used in Sainya Dham, alleging the government failed to fulfil its promises. She also said her family didn’t get due respect from the government. The incident happened on the same day when minister of defence Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Saheed Samman Yatra’s second leg in Pithoragarh district of Kumaon region.
As part of the first leg of the yatra, soldier welfare department officials arrived at the house of martyr Mohan Nath Goswami on Saturday in Bindukhatta of Lalkuan in Nainital district. When yatra officials tried to collect soil from the martyr’s samadhi, his mother Radhika Devi opposed it. She said officials will not be allowed to collect soil since the government failed to fulfill promises made at the time of sacrifice.
“My son sacrificed his life for the country six years ago. At that time several ministers, officers, even the chief minister visited her house to express their condolences and made several promises but failed to fulfil them. In such a condition I will not allow collection of soil from my house,” Devi said.
Bhawna Devi, wife of the martyr, said, “The government had made tall promises at the time of the sacrifice of my husband but they are still confined to files. I met the chief minister to get his attention paid to the promises but nothing was done. I will sit on a dharna along with the family against the government if the promises are not fulfilled.”
Government had promised a government job to the martyr’s wife, naming of village school and construction of a mini stadium in the name of the martyr but promises are still to be fulfilled, a family member said.
Officials and local representatives faced an awkward situation after the opposition from the martyr’s family in collecting soils. Later, after requests from officials they could collect soil.
“We had come to collect soil from the martyr’s courtyard but his family resisted as they had some complaints. However, we persuaded them for this noble cause. We will collect soil from 56 martyrs, courtyard till November 25 and the beginning was conducted from Bindukhatta on Saturday.”