Yavatmal: New Delhi-based Sulabh
International today finally fulfilled its commitment of
deposing Rs 30-lakh and Rs 20-lakh each in the names of Rahul
Gandhi referred farm widows-Kalavati Bandurkar and Shashikala
Prahlad Ringane respectively.
It can be recalled here that Rahul Gandhi had
mentioned the names of Kalavati and Shashikala in Lok Sabha
while explaining about the plight of farm widows of Vidarbha.
Kalavati belongs to Jalka village of Maregaon tehsil and
Shashikala belongs to Sonkhas of Ner Tehsil of Vidarbha area.
According to Sulabh International vice-president,
Shyam Pandharipande, president of his organisation Bindeshwar
Pathak had visited Jalka and Sonkhas on July 31, 2008
soon after their names were mentioned by Rahul Gandhi on the
floor of the Lok Sabha.
Pathak had interacted with Kalavati and Shashikala and
he was moved by their pathetic condition and assured them to
deposit Rs 30-lakh and Rs 20-lakh respectively for leading a
dignified life by drawing interest on the fixed sums. And
then, he had given a cheque of Rs 3-lakh to Kalavati and Rs 2
lakh to Shashikala and assured to deposit the remaining sum at
the earliest.
However, he could not fulfil the promise, but had
given them, later, another cheque of Rs 3-lakh to Kalavati and
Rs 1.8-lakh to Shashikala.
PTI
First Published: Monday, February 15, 2010, 23:25