Politicians make ritual of visiting martyr's family

The wife and the mother of martyr Lance Naik Hemraj called off their fast after chief minister Akhilesh Yadav visited them at their house in Shernagar village in Mathura on Monday. Akhilesh announced that the state government would be giving Rs25 lakh to the martyr’s family while the Centre has announced an ex-gratia of Rs46 lakh.

Meanwhile, Indian army chief General Bikram Singh has announced that he would be visiting the bereaved family on Tuesday. Top BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh also met the martyr’s family on Monday and tried to persuade the wife and mother to end their fast.

Akhilesh Yadav faced some protests on arrival in the village as locals were upset over his delayed visit. The martyr, who was decapitated near the LoC by Pakistani armymen, was cremated six days ago, and his wife and mother have been on fast ever since. Neither Akhilesh nor any of his ministers were there at the cremation.

However, Akhilesh tried to soothe nerves by announcing that the government would do its bit to preserve the martyr’s memory. He said Shernagar village would get a new road apart from some other development works that Hemraj’s family had demanded. He also said his government would stand by the grieving family.

“It is our responsibility to honour the martyr and his family. We are there with them in this hour of grief. This is not a time for politics but to support the family,” he said. Referring to the state government’s ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh, he said: “Money is not a big thing for a family which has lost its son. This is just to support the family.”

Akhilesh managed to persuade Hemraj’s wife Dharmawati to break her fast, and she readily accepted some milk from the chief minister. Hemraj’s mother Meena Devi also called off her fast soon afterwards.

Kunwar Jitendra Singh, minister of state for defence, handed over a cheque of Rs46 lakh to Hemraj’s family on Monday. He is reported to have assured the family that the government was doing its best to recover the martyr’s severed head. He also told the family members that Hemraj would be honoured at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi.
However, BJP leaders who visited the martyr’s family on Monday have taken on both the Centre and the state governments over allegedly undermining the martyr’s sacrifice.
“Hemraj’s wife is very upset as she could not even see her husband’s face before cremation as his body was brought here headless. Then, no senior officer or minister from the state or central government came for the cremation. This is a matter of honour and prestige. She is justifiably hurt,” said Sushma Swaraj. She said the defence minister should have come himself. “If he couldn’t come, the MoS or some top Army officer from Delhi should have come for the cremation,” she added.

Gadkari said India should take up the issue at the international level. “People all over the country are angry and want the Centre to take strong action,” he said, adding Pakistan should apologise for the gruesome killings. Gadkari said the PM should break his silence over the issue.