india

Updated: Aug 15, 2019 22:31 IST

The 27-year-old long struggle of a martyr’s wife, which began from the time her husband was killed on Tripura border in 1992, culminated this Independence Day.

Rajo Bai, wife of BSF jawan Mohan Singh Suner, was living in a kutcha house in Peer Piplaya village of Indore district and was working as a farm labourer to raise her two sons.

But the 45-year-old Rajo’s plight came to an end when youth from half a dozen villages of Indore gifted a pucca house to her after she tied rakhis on their wrists on Thursday.

“We don’t belong to any political party or any NGO. We do social work in the area. Last year, we visited Peer Pipaliya village and came to know that martyr Mohan Singh’s family was living in a kutcha house. His wife Rajo struggled against odds to bring up her kids. The family didn’t get even honour that they deserved. Except family pension, the family didn’t get any help from the government, “said Vishal Rathi, one of the members of group.

According to Rathi, the youngsters of village have not exhibited any zeal to join armed forces and the reason behind the lack of motivation might be witnessing the condition of the martyr family.

“We decided to launch a campaign in the area to help the family. We collected Rs 11 lakh money and built the house for Rajo Singh. We are also going to install a bust of Mohan Singh,” said Shankar Sharma, another member of the group.

Sharma said this would motivate other people to join Armed forces.

Rajo Bai said, “My husband died after three year of joining the force. I was just 18-years-old and my younger son was about to be born. I don’t remember the exact amount of money we got after my husband’s death but it was in thousands. With a small amount of pension, which is now increased to Rs 2500, I managed all the expenses in my house.”

“I am grateful to these youngsters for understanding my problems,” said Rajo Bai.

Rajo Bai’s elder son Lakhan Suner, said, “In 27 years, nobody came to help us. We always saw our mother struggle. Now, I have joined her in farming but these youth brought a smile on my mother’s face.”

Chief minister Kamal Nath also appreciated the effort of youth from his Twitter account.

Village sarpanch Jagdish Prasad said, “I am really proud of the youth of our village. The family should have got this honour long back. But I am really upset that our governments didn’t do anything for the family.”