Why Nithari is wary of crowds

NEW DELHI: Nithari village has turned into a tourist spot of sorts. There are people in large numbers on the roads adjacent to Nithari, but the families of victims remain inside the village, confused. “Every day politicians come and talk to us. We don’t understand them, they never did anything for us in the past and we are sure nothing will be done now. Even Soniaji just heard us out. She never said anything to us. All these people only speak to TVwallahs,” says Ashok, who has lost his son.

The villagers are now sick of the crowds and the various organisations that have come to help them. “Some people actually asked families who have lost their children to sit on a hunger strike. They were rude to them when they refused. Apne matlab ke liye hamaare mare hue bachchon ka istamal kar rahe hain. (They are using our dead children for their benefit,” says Malti, a resident of the village.

Meanwhile, a prayer meeting was held on Sunday outside Moninder Singh Pandher’s residence, organised by the Noida resident welfare association. Though the meeting was to pray for the souls of the dead children, a new demand was made. The association wants the site of the murders i.e. Pandher’s residence to be converted into a monument for the dead. They also threatened to start an agitation from Shivratri if their demands were not met.

“We want D-5 bungalow to be converted into a monument, failing which we would start on agitation from this Shivratri,” said Munna Kumar Sharma, secretary, Federation of Noida Resident’s Welfare Association.

Social activist and Magsasay winner Shanta Sinha also visited the village. He stressed on the need to set up a data bank on missing children in every district headquarter.

A group of lawyers from the Supreme Court has also promised all help for the victims in their litigations at Noida. “We would be available for any help to the victims,” said Ashok Agarwal, secretary, Social Jurists, an SC lawyer’s forum.