Ajnasiya came to the weekly Chief Minister’s Janata Darbar as a victim of unresponsiveness rampant in Government bodies, but left with an assurance that her pleas will now be heard.
After her husband Vishwanath Shah, a vegetable vendor, passed away in 1998, all Ajnasiya could rely upon was help from Government’s social security schemes.
“I applied for widow’s pension in the same year my husband died, but the application was rejected on grounds that my husband’s name was wrongly spelt. I got that rectified and the application was approved in 2013. But there has been no action since then,” she told Social Welfare Minister louis Marandi, as the Minister listened to the grievances of plaintiffs from all over the State.
During this time, she began working at Godda Collectorate in 1999 on daily wage basis. Meanwhile she also kept appearing before the Deputy Commissioners to release her widow’s pension. She was assured of action, even if falsely, but the incumbent Godda DC went a step ahead and clearly turned down her requests
“Godda DC Harsh Mangla straight away declared that he cannot do anything about my widow’s pension. I was told never to bring the matter to him in future and was dismissed from my job at the Collectorate,” said Ajnasiya.
Coming too know of his discourteous behavior, Marandi warned the Godda DC in a telephonic conversation in strong words to check his rude behaviour and to resolve to the issues holding up widow’s pension within two days. She even advised Ajnasiya to revisit the Janta Darbar if she is reproached for reporting the DC.
How despotic attitude of public servants carries on to their family members was also shown at the Janta Darbar, when Tara Kunwar came here demanding justice for her dead husband, all the way from Baghmanwa panchayat in Palamu. She said, “My husband Chandrika Bind was found dead in a pond with an arm missing. The prime suspect is Mukhiya Sahodari Devi’s husband Suryadev Yadav. I appealed to the BDO and CO of my area but they have not even begun investigated the matter.”
The reason behind the suspicion is the quarrel between Yadav and Bind which ensued after the former constructed a PCC road in front of the latter’s house, closing a drain there in the process. Bind’s house was flooded with drain water which he reported to authorities.
After she referred Tara to Palamu Superintendent of Police, Marandi instructed the SP to look into the matter.