After adopting hundreds of widows in Vrindavan, the Sulabh International on Sunday launched its campaign against “widowhood” by adopting 150 such women and ensuring a monthly pension of Rs2,000.
launching a reform campaign in presence of hundreds of widows on the bank of holy river Ganga here, Sulabh founder Dr Bindeshwar Pathak announced to start nation-wide campaign against the age old tradition of Widowhood that prevails in the Indian society. Announcing to propose a draft Bill to be presented before the Parliament for their protection, welfare and maintenance of widows, Pathak said that the proposed bill will deal with measures to look after the welfare, protection and maintenance of the neglected, abandoned and destitute widows.
Pathak said he proposed to hand over the copy of the draft bill to lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar so that the proposed legislation could see the light of the day. “Meira Kumar has evinced keen interest in the welfare of the widows and wants their plight to be improved,” the Sulabh founder said.
, adding that on the encouragement by the Supreme Court through the National legal Services Authority (NAlSA) Sulabh took up the programme for improving the living conditions of the widows of Vrindavan. The programme has now been going on for more than nine months and “as of today we are giving Rs. 2000 per month per widow for their food etc.
Five fully equipped Ambulances have been provided and stationed in the Ashrams for providing timely and adequate medical attention for their treatment and if needed to carry dead bodies to the cremation grounds for proper cremation with full rites and religious rituals. Regular medical checkups for their eyes, teeth are also being taken care of. Now the widows of Vrindavan are spending their lives happily. “Taking a cue from the widows of Vrindavan, we now want to work to improve the living conditions of widows of the Holy city of Varanasi,”
Dr Pathak said. In Varanasi, the widows are living in a scattered manner in different Ashrams as well as in private dwellings. Many of these widows resort to begging on the streets. “First, I will have to make a survey of all the widows who need our services and help. Thereafter we will take care of all of them as is being done by me in Vrindavan,” said the NGO head, who has already made a visit of the area dotted by widows to understand their problems.