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Martyr Saurabh Pharate's memorial delayed, family members go on hunger strike

On December 17, 2016, Jawan Saurabh Pharate (32) and two other soldiers of Indian army lost their lives when terrorists opened fire on the army bus in Pampore area of Jammu and Kashmir.

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CM Devendra Fadnavis visited the residence of Shaheed Saurabh Pharate and met his family members in Pune on December 19, 2016 (File Picture)
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Waiting for more than one year for the memorial to be built, parents of martyr Jawan Saurabh Pharate on Tuesday went on hunger strike to protest against the delay in the process of finalising the location for his memorial. According to family members, they want his memorial at a Pune Municipal Corporation-run school which is being opposed by local NCP corporator.

On December 17, 2016, Jawan Saurabh Pharate (32) and two other soldiers of Indian army lost their lives when terrorists opened fire on the army bus in Pampore area of Jammu and Kashmir. Pharate was a resident of Bhekrainagar in Hadapsar area where he was cremated in full military honours. After Saurabh's demise, his parents made a wish to build his memorial in Hadapsar area. The Pune mayor Mukta Tilak also made the announcement that Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) would build the memorial but even before the first brick of the memorial could be laid, it got mired in a controversy. 

Pharate family requested the PMC to build his memorial in PMC run Ramchandra Bankar school but according to family, local corporator and former mayor Vaishali Bankar is opposing the memorial to be built in school. 

Mangal Pharate, mother of Saurabh told DNA, "We have requested PMC to build memorial inside the school so that it will inspire school children to join the army. However, Bankar is asking to build it at a public place near Gadital area where hardly anyone will notice the memorial."

 However, Bankar claimed that if the memorial is built at the Gadital area, more people will be able to see it and take inspiration from it. 

According to Pharate family, they sent a number of letters to PMC officials, requesting them to expedite the process of building memorial but even after one year of his death, when no concrete decision was taken by the civic body, the Pharate family decided to go on hunger strike. 

 "We are fed up with the lethargic approach of PMC of not taking any decision and therefore to register our protest, we have gone on hunger strike," Pharate said. 

 Saurabh's parents, some relatives, and activists kept on sitting outside the building of PMC after placing his photo and banner near the entry of the PMC building. 

 Meanwhile, PMC officials stated that the process to build the memorial is on. Sandeep Khandve, superintendent engineer of Bhavan department said, "Last year, there was no provision for the memorial. However, in this year's budget, provision of Rs 1 crore has already been made and the work is in process."

 

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