Freedom fighter pulling rickshaw in Jharkhand for survival

While participating in the Quit India movement in 1942, Somar Sundi of Hazaribagh never thought that one day he would have to pull bicycle-rickshaw in an independent India for two square meals.

By Girija Shankar Ojha

Hazaribagh (Jharkhand), July 15 : While participating in the Quit India movement in 1942, Somar Sundi of Hazaribagh never thought that one day he would have to pull bicycle-rickshaw in an independent India for two square meals.

At 83, Somar Sundi and his family in Matwari locality are learning how to cut on hunger to survive.

When he fell ill recently, Somar was at pain to think that none other than his immediate family came forward to help. The umpteen assurances of financial and medical aid from several quarters are yet to materialise.

"I have made lot of efforts but till date only paper work is going on. No body is looking after us. I have fallen ill since the past one month and I am somehow managing. My children help me out with this tough time," Somar says.

He remembers how he along with others braved the bullets and baton charging of the policemen under the British regime for independence of the country. Today, he is left with only that treasure of old memories and his big family struggles for basic needs.

Somar pulls bicycle-rickshaw despite a poor health so that the hearth at his home keeps burning.

The family lives in a rented house. To pay the monthly rent, the solution the members of the family have arrived at is by cutting down on their food.

Jaswa Devi, Somar's wife, says: "We are earning our livelihood by pulling rickshaws. He is an old man. No body takes care of us. We are paying the rent by killing our hunger. We have no resources and have the responsibility of our children."

She adds: "He gave away his youth and rest of the years for the freedom struggle of the country. But perhaps the countrymen have no time to bother for him."

ANI