Bodies taken away by sweepers, cut into pieces and disposed of in jute bags
The bodies of widows who die in government-run shelter homes in Vrindavan are taken away by sweepers at night, cut into pieces, put into jute bags and disposed of as the institutions do not have any provision for a decent funeral. This, too, is done only after the inmates give money to the sweeper!
This shocking fact has come to light in a survey by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) on the “Plight of Forsaken/Forlorn Women — Old and Widows Living in Vrindavan and Radius.”
Taking cognisance of a report published in The Hindu on August 11 on the plight of the widows living in Vrindavan in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, Justice Altamash Kabir, Executive Chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority, had asked the U.P. State Legal Services Authority to survey the conditions of the women.
The terms of reference also included ascertaining whether there were peculiar family circumstances which led to abandonment of the women by their families or children which was actionable under Section 24 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.
The report, a copy of which is available with The Hindu, has recommended that the District Magistrates be directed to protect the property and property rights of these women. It wanted them to take necessary steps to restore the property to the destitute women in accordance with law which would facilitate their return home and enable them to lead a dignified life.
It has also suggested that legal aid clinics be set up to generate awareness among these women about various Acts and their rights and provide assistance wherever needed.
The District Legal Services Authority in its report quoted Mithilesh Solanki, a widow living in Swadhar Mahila Ashray Kendra, Chaitanya Vihar (Vrindavan), to reveal the “sorry state of affairs and disheartening fact that sweepers take away the dead bodies in the night, cut them into pieces and dispose them of in jute bags.”
The institution, started by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2006 and run by a non-governmental organisation Akhil Bharatiya Maa Sharda Samaj Kalyan Samiti, does not undertake the responsibility of arranging funerals.
Similar conditions prevail in another residential institution established by the U.P. Mahila Samaj Kalyan Nigam — the only of its kind run by the State government under its Meera Sahbhagini scheme.
The report, prepared by Sapna Tripathi, ACJM and Vijay Bahadur Yadav, chairman (DLSA) and district judge, Mathura along with some other members is based on personal interaction with the widows and the data provided by the government and non-government agencies. The official figures provided by the District Probation Office and Social Welfare Department at Mathura puts the number of abandoned women in the entire district at 3151 — a large number of whom were shunned by their conservative and orthodox families in certain parts of West Bengal and persuaded or even forced by the family members to live a ‘sacred widowed life' in Vrindavan after the death of her husband.
In most cases widows are denied remarriage even after the death of their husband in childhood or young age. While some are forced to leave the marital home and native place by the family members just to avoid maintenance in old age and bearing the burden of a non-productive family member, many others leave their homes due to physical and mental torture.
The report details the plight of these women, some of whom get a monthly pension of Rs. 300 and a measly quantity of food grain and sugar which is woefully inadequate for survival. As a result, they are forced to beg and sing in temples from where they can earn two or three rupees a day.
The living quarters are unhygienic with little or no facilities for toilets and drinking water. Medical facilities are only on paper. But due to lack of education, the women are often deprived of the paltry sum they are entitled to under the National Social Assistance Programme, Antodaya Scheme and Food Money Scheme as the funds are often pilfered.
Recommending setting up of sufficient shelter homes with proper facilities, the DLSA report said the Centre and the State governments are expected to fulfil the basic needs guaranteed by the Constitution and protect the human rights of the widows. It has also suggested proper audit of the funds received by the NGOs and private charitable institutions.
Would seriously like to visit the ashram personally and find out what exactly is happening inside. If anyone can give exact address and location, Ill be thankful
we read the story makes coment two three days and forget .we should come
forward and make sure that these widow live with diginity and honour .in
this corporaste bodies should come forward and shed some part of their
profit for this social injustice
if we are not part of the solution we are part of the problem!
As Mr Ahmed said, we are the ones who have to make changes, bottom up. Relying on an insensitive government and an apathetic bureaucracy would be self defeating. It is not enough to look after our old parents, but looking out for destitute strangers takes a big heart. Even the upwardly mobile people become stingy when it comes to helping a stranger (I agree there are some bad apples, and we cannot help everyone).But a ray of hope is in the form of people who think, who feel and most importantly who do something to make it better.
Thanks a lot Mr.Ahmed M.S..... I got the point. A small request, people like you should take part in the comments section often,your words are inspiring.Thanks again Bro.
Brother jaya prakash -- Please don't be ashamed of the truth - its upto this generation I mean you and me and every one else , to work for betterment of our society - I don't know how the tomorrow will be -- but I can strive to make today better for myself and people around me - by educating young ppl around me - encouraging them for social cause - cleaning there mentality -- freeing them from hatred -- and above all by my actions by helping anyone around me -- the change starts with us -- if we don't do this we will pay a heavy price -- hope I conveyed the message
strict action must be taken against all those who are responsible for
running such shelter homes/institutions. Exemplary punishment must also
be given to those public servants who failed to discharge their duty of
inspection and overlooking irregularity in functioning of such shelter
homes. governments grants to shelter homes must be revised and not be unreasonably low. A national commission for very old, homeless and destitute people must be constituted immediately to regulate and oversee
the functioning of all such shelter homes/institutions etc.
my view also is that of mr.jaya prakash
Is this really true? If so, shame on all of us. Shame to call ourselves as learned and prospering civilization. The prospering population of the billions ought to do something. It will also be helpful if the report can point some hints and directions where some of us can help to reduce the plight of these poor souls. It is not fair to expect the government do everyhthing, everyone in the society also has civic responsibility to make sure we contribute for a decent life for people around us.
Painful. Credit to The Hindu for highlighting it. There has sadly been a steady decine in refelecting these sort of realities in our society in the media and movies over the past years.
We still are a far way from the rosy picture we like to paint of our society.
It is a matter of shame to the nation that a sweeper was used to cut the
dead body of a widow in to pieces, instead of giving a respectable
disposal of the dead body.The people responsible for running the state
shelter house ,Brindaban should be immediately arrested and strong
action should be taken.It is also a matter of shame to the chief
minister Mayawati for her mis-management and she should be equally held
responsible for this heinous act.
This issue is more urgent than female infanticide. Why NGOs don't work in this area? Not lucrative enough? Shameful.
It's not Children duties to take care of their parents.. it's shame what ever you earn ... Those should be punished.
I am totally shocked to hear this.
And we call ourselves a rising power !! To hell with "India Shining" and the likes !!
We should be ashamed as a nation.
This is absolute apathy of state and citizens of India. This is an
unforgivable sin which has been committed and none should be pardoned
for this. Leave procedure if officials are human enough they would have
done it. Unspeakable and shameful, I don't know how we the people will
react if we are faced with problems of the magnitude of holocaust or
Tsunami on a major scale. Dont have any more words. Thanks Hindu for
your watch
Jaya Prakash, I agree with you.
Forget about the governments Where and what the Darma Guru- Shnkracharyas are doing ? A mashing the wealth and preaching Hinduism !
I am ashamed to be born and called an Indian. I cannot find any other comment for the above article.
My eyes swelled with tears after reading this article. When the conscience dies, the
rot has set it. The government instead of giving these women measly pension and
ration, should invest in making these woman financially independent. We as a
nation always seeks to find a easy solution to our problems instead of finding
sustainable solutions. When I was in the US I found elderly people as old as 85
working for a living. It made me sad that in the twilight of their life they have to
earn a living. But after reading this I feel, there is nothing wrong in it. They are at
the least financially independent and live a life of dignity. Also children should be
made accountable to take care of their parents in old age or provide for them
financially.
In the material world all relationships are actually mercenary but are covered by an illusory curtain of so-called love and affection. The so-called wives and husbands, parents and children, and masters and servants are all concerned with reciprocal material profit. As soon as the shroud of illusion is removed, the dead body of material so-called love and affection is at once manifest to the naked eye.
Gruesome. this institution should revive to support women and their dignity and empower them.
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