Mid-Day.com, Wednesday March 17, 2010, Mumbai
He sits by the Masunda Lake in Thane, his frail hands clutching a wooden staff. A far cry from the days when as a young freedom fighter, he fought for the country.
Today, thanks to bureaucratic apathy, 106-year-old CHB Vitthaldas has to shuttle between his hometown in Nizamabad in Andhra Pradesh and Thane to collect his pension, as he has not been able to get the account transferred to his hometown.
With no relatives in Thane, and unable to afford high cost of accommodation in hotels, he has to spend the nights by the lake.
After the demise of one of his sons, the other has been running the household. His family now depends on his pension. Time has failed to obliterate the Gandhian principles of the man who has participated in satyagrahas in Goa, Hyderabad and Nizamabad among others.
"In 1938, I met Gandhiji at Jinnah House in Mumbai. Gandhiji told me that one should persevere and continue trying... I am implementing his advice to get my pension transferred," said Vitthaldas who is still optimistic that he will succeed some day.
"I have requested the officials to transfer my pension to Hyderabad but they said it's a cumbersome procedure and would take time," said Vitthaldas.
"I have been coming here for the last 25 years to collect my pension, the government must respect my service to the nation," said Vitthaldas.
The Maharashtra state government, he says, had granted him the pension. "They should show some respect for my age. If health permits, and if I get a chance, I want to meet the Chief Minister and ask him to intervene," Vitthaldas added.
Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said, "I am hurt about the manner in which Vitthaldas is being treated. I will personally look into the matter and ask the concerned department to help the freedom fighter."
It is good that the Dy.CM has promised to look into this elderly freedom fighter's case and help him. I hope he does so. In fact, at 106 yrs, the government should ensure that he gets his pension at his doorstep and ensure he gets free medical help. This is the least we can do for such a venerable elderly freedom fighter.
http://www.ndtv.com/news/cities/i-am-following-gandhis-advice-1-17918.php?page=1#postcommentarea
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