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uday
January 23rd, 2004, 07:13 PM
By Bibhuti Mishra Once she was a member of the women's wing of INA (Indian National Army) led by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Today she is fighting for a square meal a day by working as a maid-servant. Meet Laxmi Indira Panda (76) whose sad plight and life of drudgery was brought to light by a local paper.

Born in a poor migrant family in Burma, Laxmi had lost her parents during British bombing. Thereafter she joined the Rani Jhansi wing of INA following Netaji's call and got training meant for the under 16 recruits. She was with the INA for three years till 1945 when the INA camps were closed. During her INA days she actively participated in Indian freedom movement and travelled from Burma to Singapore and Malaysia etc. But soon after coming back to Orissa after the closure of INA camps she had to face misery as her husband died just six years later in 1951.

Since then she has been fighting to be recognised as a freedom fighter and get the pension and benefits meant for them. "I have given up. I tried to get the freedom fighter pension. But after three decades of knocking at every door I want to forget that I was once with INA. The politicians and the officials are enjoying the fruits of our labour and I am running from pillar to post trying to find two square meals a day for myself and my family" she has said in frustration.

The state government has granted her political pension worth Rs 700 per month; but she gets Rs.400 as the rest is dedudcted towrds loan taken by her. As a maid servant she earns Rs 300. And with this meagre earnings the Rani Jhansi regiment soldier is fighting a battle of another kind - the fight for survival while the society and the country has long forgotten her exploits as a freedom fighter.

http://headlines.sify.com/2859news5.html?headline=Once~Netaji's~soldier,~a~m aid-servant~today~

sansanwalamit
January 25th, 2004, 04:45 AM
It is so sad, I hope if not Indian Govt. then atleast Indian Army should help her.
One more thing I must say about this that IT HAPPNES ONLY IN INDIA.

jagmohan
January 25th, 2004, 11:44 AM
Dear Friends,

OUR GODS AND SOLDIERS
WE ALIKE ADORE.
EVEN AT THE BRINK OF DANGER
NOT BEFORE

AFTER DELIVERANCE
BOTH REQUITED
OUR GODS FORGOTTEN
AND SOLDIERS SLIGHTED

This is not the first and last example. And this happens all over the world.

Lt Col JS Malik (Retd)

kgulia
January 25th, 2004, 05:13 PM
This certainly is pathetic tale of unknown soldiers who pass away without being recognised and without taste of glory for their heavenly deeds done for land , but we fail to pay homage to such people when they pass away: Here's what a poet says:

JUST A SIMPLE SOLDIER

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he had fought in
And the deeds that he had done.
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, everyone.

And 'tho sometimes, to his neighbors,
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened,
For they knew whereof he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer,
For a soldier died today.

He was just a common Soldier
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us,
We may need his like again.

While the ordinary soldier,
Who offered up his all,
never paid off with a medal
And not with a pension, small.


For when countries are in conflict,
Then we find the Soldier's part,
Is to clean up all the troubles,
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor,
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage,
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline,
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
FOR A SOLDIER DIED TODAY"