M A I N   N E W S

bathinda’s shame
Parents refuse to bury child, teachers continue dharna 
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 7
Braving the elements — it was raining and windy during the day — the AIE/EGS teachers continued their dharna outside the bus stand for the second day today. Refusing to bury the body of 14-month-old Eknoor, nicknamed ‘Rooth’, her parents and other protesters have preserved the body in an air-conditioned glass casket.

Taranjit Singh and Kiranjeet Kaur, parents of the child, alleged that the district administration and the hospital staff misled them about the health of their child. “With the child gone, we have also died.

We don’t have a purpose in life now. We just want justice for our daughter and the guilty to be brought to book,” said a teary-eyed Taranjit.

‘Rooth’ could not face the chill during the protests at night. Her mother had come for dharna along with the child to show solidarity with Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) teachers protesting outside the local bus stand.

Support for the beleaguered parents poured in from various quarters, including teachers’ unions, the PRTC contractual employees, Punjab Sabhyacharak Manch and Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant Labour Union.

The three-hour meeting with Deputy Commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav late on Thursday remained inconclusive. “We want compensation and a government job for a member of the family. A meeting is scheduled with the Chief Minister for February 9. Till then, we will continue our protest,” said Resham Singh, one of the protesters.

The protesters targeted the Chief Minister, saying that he did not spare even five minutes to offer his condolences to the family. They also criticised local MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal for her ‘Nanhi Chhaan campaign’, saying she did not bother to issue any statement after the child died.

The protesters were seething with anger as senior police officials had taken away their quilts leaving them with nothing to save from chill. The death of the child yesterday has put the government in a bind. With the protesters seeking compensation and a job to a family member of the child, the state is hard pressed for an early end to the stalemate which has sent shock waves across Punjab.

Sources said the agitators are waiting for the outcome of the meeting with the CM on February 9 before they take a decision to cremate the child. The legal aspect of the case in which there were allegations of high handedness by the police in dealing with the protester are also being explored. Meanwhile, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Partap Singh Bajwa visited the dharna site and spoke to Rooth’s parents. Expressing his grief, he extended full support to the family. 

Child died of malnutrition: Punjab Govt

The government on Friday blamed the protesting teachers for trying to gain political mileage out of the death of an innocent child. “The child was admitted to the Civil Hospital on February 3. He died of malnutrition and not cold", an official spokesperson said. 

‘We want justice for our daughter’

With the child gone, we have also died. We don’t have a purpose in life now. We want justice for our daughter and the guilty to be brought to book. — Taranjit, father of deceased child