A ten-member team comprising wife of lance Nayak Albert Ekka, Balamdina Ekka is ready to leave for Agartala on December 25 to bring the soil from the grave of the Paramvir Chakra awardee existing there.
Ironically, the team is still awaiting the support of the Government following a promise made in this regard by Chief Minister Raghubar Das.
“The Chief Minister had promised during his visit to Jhari village that a 10-member team would go there and bring in the soil. However, the top officials of his office citing Cabinet compulsions said that only five people can go. But we pressed to allow at least seven people and since then no communication has taken place,” said Ratan Tirkey, a Tribal Advisory Council member, on Wednesday.
The team comprising Balamdina, her son Vincent Ekka and grand daughter, Ratan Tirkey, local priest Prakash Tete, villager Joseph Tirkey and few others is set to leave for Tripura on Friday. However, the members have not procured train tickets for themselves till late Wednesday.
“We are still awaiting the call from the officials. At the same time we are also seeking help from likeminded people to arrange money for the trip. We hope some breakthrough by tomorrow as our travelling there is certain with or without Government assistance,” said Tirkey who is spearheading the entire exercise.
Earlier, the family members of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war hero and locals had refused to accept the soil reportedly brought from his grave from Agartala doubting on its veracity. Even the CM who had flown there to handover the holy remains to the family had to face a stiff resistance at Jhari. Then, it was decided that a team would separately visit the place to bring in the remains of the late soldier. Members were to be given State guest status.
“We need over Rs 1.5 lakh just for train tickets. Information is also there that his original grave at Agartala has been encroached upon and nothing of such kind is left over there. In that case Balamdina has expressed willingness that she would travel to Ganga Sagar where Albert Ekka had taken his last breath in the line of duty. She would bring soil from there in her anachal and put it in grave at the native village,” added Tirkey.