Family members of Dinesh Yadav, who immolated himself in Delhi to support anti-graft campaigner Anna Hazare, finds politicians or leaders better than civil society groups.
Bihar state Bharatiya Janata Party President CP Thakur’s visit to Sarfuddinpur, Yadav’s village, has not gone unnoticed. Equally conspicuous by its absence is a visit by a member of India Against Corruption.
“CP Thakur not only assured all possible help to us, but also demanded a government job for Dinesh’s widow, Malmatiya Devi,” Binda Yadav, Dinesh’s father, told IANS on phone. “It will be a big relief if the government gives her a job.”
Binda said that politicians from various parties had visited them in last few days and promised help to them.
“I was disappointed that neither Anna Hazare nor his team members called us to inquire after Dinesh died,” Binda said. “He sacrificed his life for
their campaign.”
He felt that Hazare and his team members had forgotten a real hero. “All of them are silent to date,” he said. “It is unfortunate.”
Former union minister Thakur has written to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, demanding for a government job for Dinesh’s widow, a house under the Indira Awas Yojna and free education for his children.
Fellow villager Gauri Shankar Singh said Anna Hazare and his team may have forgotten Dinesh but at least political leaders had been showing sympathy and consideration.
Dinesh, who was the sole bread winner in his family, left behind his grandmother, parents, wife and five children.
Yadav shouted pro-Anna Hazare slogans, doused himself with petrol and set himself ablaze near Rajghat in New Delhi on August 23. He sustained 70-80 percent burns and died in hospital on August 29.
