Chief minister Narendra Modi may have talked of his pain and agony following the 2002 riots. But, it seems his administration isn’t troubled by any such attack of conscience. Twelve years after Godhra riots destroyed her home in Vatva, a 60-year-old woman is still battling red-tape, bureaucracy and an insensitive administration to get her due compensation.
On the fateful day of February 28, 2002, Salmabibi Rasoolmiya Saiyad and her family escaped a blood-thirsty mob that set afire her home in Vandarvad area behind Ambika Colony in Vatva. After spending almost a year in camps, Salmabibi took loans of Rs60,000 to buy herself a house.
As per the rules, she is entitled to compensation for the house that was destroyed. However, what she has got is just a miniscule percentage of the amount. She has been going from one government office to another to get the rest of the money. An RTI application made by her to find out what happened to her compensation is also mired in red-tape.
“I had two houses which were destroyed. One belonged to me and another to my husband who stayed apart. After the riots, the value of my two-room house was pegged at around Rs11,700 and I got a cheque for the amount while my husband was paid Rs6,400,” said Salmabibi. “Later the Centre announced a 10-time increase in compensation according to which I was to receive Rs1,05,300 while my husband was to get Rs57,600,” she added.
“But for some strange reason, I got a cheque of just Rs 37,800 in 2009 while my husband got one for Rs20,700. We have been told that this is the full and final settlement. Since then I have been running from pillar to post to find out why I have not been given the full amount,” said Salmabibi. As per the rule, she is yet to receive Rs67,500 while her husband is to get Rs36,900. “After failing to get a response from the administration, I filed an RTI which also went unreplied. Later, I went for first and second appeal too. The information commission then directed the concerned authorities to look into my case and now I am being told that they have no clue as to why I was not fully compensated,” she said.
Strangely, despite the information commission’s direction, the mamlatdaar of Narol initially said that neither did they have all the concerned documents nor had they received any letter from the information commission. “When I showed them my documents, they finally had to relent and went about looking for the papers. They agree verbally that as per the rules I am entitled to the full amount but then, they are not doing anything about it,” complained Salmabibi who currently makes ends meet stitching clothes. “If I get the compensation money I can marry off my daughter. It would also go a long way in easing my financial burden but I don’t have much hope. I have spent so much money going from one office to another,” she sighed.
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