Dehradun, August 14
While tributes are paid to national leaders, few care to remember those who devoted their lives to fighting for the country’s freedom. We are talking of the unsung heros.

There are but only a few survivors of the bygone era. A freedom fighter who was 18 years on the day of independence in 1947 today would be in the twilight of his life.

Their dwindling numbers have often gone unnoticed even as their descendents somehow try to keep their memories alive. There are as many as 1,000 freedom fighters in Uttarakhand, many braving illness and poverty.

In Dehradun and neighbouring areas, INA heroes such as Col Pritam Singh and Capt NS Negi and Rajendra Singh Shah have died in the last 12 months.

Col Pritam Singh died in the non-descript town of Doiwala on January 14 this year. He died a lonely death after keeping indisposed for some time. Hardly any officer bothered to attend his last rites.

Doon Swatantrata Senani Samiti that has been espousing the cause of freedom fighters and their dependents has expressed remorse over the treatment meted out to the freedom fighters and their dependents.

The samiti’s 14-point charter of demands has gone unnoticed by the incumbent BJP and the previous Congress government. While seeking Rajkiya Parivar status for families of freedom fighters, the samiti seeks representation in public representative bodies like the state assembly, the municipal corporations and panchayats.

The samiti has also been seeking travel concessions. The samiti held talks with state officials in July-end but it proved to be just another formality. “Against 14 concerns put forward by us, only 10 were taken up for discussion and finally none was addressed,” said PK Khatri, general secretary of the samiti.

PK Khatri’s father Ram Krishna Khatri, was the brain behind the Kakori incident in which the British treasury being ferried by a train on August 9, 1925, was looted. He was sentenced to Kalapani while four of his key associates were hanged to death.

In his eighties, Cap RL Awasthi regrets that those born post-independence seemed to have little regard for freedom fighters. “Either they do not realise the importance of the freedom struggle or we have failed to pass on the values for which we stood to the younger generation,” said Capt Awasthi.

“It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the descendents of freedom fighters are treated with fairness,” said Mohan Singh Adhikari, son of Laksham Singh Adhikari, Kumaon’s Gandhi, who played a pivotal role in the independence movement.

Often the death of freedom fighters goes unreported in the media. “It is only during the samiti meetings that we come to know of their demise,” said Khatri.

Dehradun, August 14
After a six-year struggle, Vimla Devi died without getting her freedom fighters’ pension. Widow of Vijay Singh Negi, a participant in the 1939 Hyderabad satyagrah and member of the first Shaheedi Jatha, Vimla Devi’s pension was stopped in January 1997.

Senior Congress leader ND Tewari wrote to Nityanand Swami when he was Chief Minister seeking justice for Vimla Devi.

But the matter lingered on and even after Tewari become CM, the issue remained unresolved. After a six-year struggle when Vimla Devi was finally to get pension, she breathed her and all proceedings on releasing the pension amount were halted.

Vimla Devi passed away on November 10, 2004, at the age of 74. Her son Bhadrasen Negi is now seeking a six-year pension amount from the state government.

“In depriving Vimla Devi of the pension, the state government showed disrespect to the freedom fighter and now when she is dead, the authorities should provide the pension amount to her family members,” said PK Khatri, Doon Swatantrata Senani Samiti.

He said the samiti had taken up the matter with the government but had failed to get any response.

Dehradun, August 14
Doon owes much to the entrepreneurship of the refugee community that settled here after Partition. Penniless, homeless and riot-scarred, they brought about a turnaround in the fortunes of the city that they embraced.

These hardy, spunky people hailing from different towns of the NWFP of Pakistan have managed to preserve their unique cultural identity and continue to speak Pushtoo. They have opened shops and enterprises named after the cities and towns that they once lived in. None has got the opportunity to visit their erstwhile homes.

“I have vivid memories of my home in Kohat that I left at the age of 12. Our home was always bustling with activity... When we left home, we had nothing on us except my mother’s jewellery,” said NP Dhawan, who heads a masala empire in the city. At the thriving Paltan Bazar, 30-40 per cent of business establishments are owned by the refugee population.

From selling confectionary to household goods, clothes and shoes, they seem to be everywhere. Seventy-year-old Kripal Kukreja, who was born in Para Chinar in NWFP, started with working as a typist and went on to become the joint director of the ONGC. After retirement, he set up a saree shop at Paltan Bazar. Proud of his roots, he always converses in Pashtoo with fellow Para Chinaris.

“I could not teach my kids Pashtoo though they can understand it, but I am ensuring that my grandchildren learn it,” said Kukreja.

Calling themselves Kukhrains, they have set up a small organisation that provides an opportunity to 275 families to meet and exchange notes. He says when they first came to Dehradun, most of them were unlettered. “Living in tribal areas, not much attention was given to education. “We had the custom of slaughtering lambs whenever an occasion demanded. Now these customs are no longer practiced. Our second generation is educated and doing well,” said Kukreja.

Time has helped heal wounds of riots and massacre. The wounds have almost healed but the memories remain. “ My father, brother and me were injured when we came to Dehradun. It was sheer luck that timely treatment was given to us at the Doon Hospital,” said Inder Singh of Frontier Boot House.

Close-knit and engaged in social work, the community has given the city popular politicians, among them Harbans Kapoor, Speaker of the Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha.

It’s a holiday I celebrate with family. I would want the government to curtail the increasing prices of goods and provide job opportunities for the downtrodden.
— Dalbir Singh, driver

My family and me visit an ashram and feed the needy. Due to the rise in crime and the recent murders, I want the state govt to be more proactive and strictly implement laws.
— Shikha, animation adviser

We should salute our brave freedom fighters and remember them always Instead of blaming the govt, we should think how best to serve the country.
— Aditya Raghav, student

My children love to stick Indian flags all over the house. I would want all the ministers to confess on the TV about their misdeeds and promise not to repeat these.
— Ginny Vasudeva, housewife

I am proud to be an Indian. After so many years of Independence, discrimination on the basis of caste, creed and sex should be obliterated if the country is to flourish.
— JP Srivastava, Mahadev Institute

As corruption is increasing the govt should get strict with those indulging in bribery and rendering our system dysfunctional. There can be no progress unless this menace is removed.
— Pramod Chawla, businessman

Dehradun, August 14
Referring to the CAG report on waste management, Dehradun-based NGO Outburst has sought the intervention of chief secretary IK Pande to stop various illegal acts being committed by officials of the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB).

In a written representation to Pande, a copy of which has been sent to NS Napalchayal, additional chief secretary holding the additional charge of chairman, UEPPCB, president of the NGO, Pardeep Gupta, alleged serious violation of law on 10 counts by the officials, undermining the functioning of this regulatory body.

Requesting corrective measures, Gupta alleged that reserving the post of chairman for the principal secretary, forests and environment, was not correct. Besides mismanagement of funds, he pointed out that sitting over the appointment of auditor was against the law.

He mentioned other violations regarding appointment and promotion of officials in violation of the Water Act, lack of monitoring of industries, failure to invoke the penal section of the Environment Protection Act, allowing industries to operate without authorisation under the Hazardous Waste Management Rules.

“I have written to all member secretaries since 2003 but no action has been taken to set the board working in order. Corrupt officials are having a free hand in manipulating postings and misusing funds.

“All this shows least concern for the environmentally fragile state,” alleged Gupta, showing a copy of the CAG report with his representation to vindicate his stand.