The Hindu : Karnataka News : He lost his hut for the Chief Minister’s sake

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 29, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka

He lost his hut for the Chief Minister’s sake

R. Krishna Kumar and Muralidhara Khajane

Yeddyurappa’s visit throws family out of their home; officials yet to fulfil promise of rebuilding hut

— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

REBUILDING LIFE: Akbar Pasha with his wife Parveen Taj and one of their sons.

RAGIMUDDANAHALLI (MANDYA DISTRICT): Forty-year-old Akbar Pasha, who earns his livelihood by selling scrap, was excited when he learnt that Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will alight from the copter just near his thatched hut. He thought that his life will change if he got an opportunity to meet the Chief Minister.

His life did indeed change but for the worse. And therein lies a story. For, his thatched hut was demolished to pave way for the helipad to facilitate the Chief Minister’s helicopter to land.

As a result, Akbar Pasha has no place to live, and now, braving scorching heat during the day and torrential rain during the night, he is living in a makeshift plastic tent.

Forgotten promise

The authorities, who assured him of rebuilding his hut after the Chief Minister’s visit, have already forgotten Akbar Pasha’s plight.

A local leader paid him Rs. 1,000 as compensation and with this paltry amount he is rebuilding his life and house, brick by brick.

Pasha was leading a happy and contented life with his wife Parveen Taj and their two children for the last 10 years with his meagre earning till last Sunday. Now, he has nothing left but to silently endure the devastation that has resulted after the Chief Minister’s visit to a local math.

Mr. Yeddyurappa visited Durdundeshwara Mahanta Shivayogi Math in Baby village of Pandavapura taluk in Mandya district to participate in a programme.

To facilitate the landing of the Chief Minister’s helicopter, the Mandya district authorities constructed a helipad near Ragimuddanahalli new extension adjacent to a hill. But the thatched hut belonging to Akbar Pasha was perceived to be structurally weak to withstand the strong air pressure of the helicopter’s rotors and hence demolished.

“The police and other officials, who came in a car, asked me to vacate the place as a helipad was to be developed there. I told them that I did not have an alternative place to live. I also told them that it was difficult for me to vacate, as my wife was ailing. Instead of understanding my plight, they cautioned me that if I do not vacate, they would be forced to clear the hut. However, they assured me of building my hut after the Chief Minister’s visit,” said Pasha, narrating the sequence of events.

“The Chief Minister’s helicopter landed at 10.20 a.m. on that day at the helipad constructed a few feet away from my demolished hut. When I tried to meet the Chief Minister and explain my plight, the authorities did not allow me to meet him. I thought the authorities would rebuild my hut after the Chief Minister’s visit. But my hopes have been dashed as no official has returned to fulfil the promise,” he says.

As his wife and children were exposed to inclement weather, they took ill. His children’s books got drenched in rain. Though a local leader paid Rs. 1,000 as compensation for losing his hut, he had spent a major portion of that money on medicine and food. And, he has not been able to go to work.

Apprehension

When The Hindu visited Ragimuddanahalli, which is near Bukanahalli, the birth place of the Chief Minister, Akbar Pasha was trying to rebuild his hut with salvaged material. He initially refused to share his agony fearing backlash from the local authorities. His wife Parveen Taj also dissuaded him against speaking to the media.

As they have not been given records by the gram panchayat for the place, they were apprehensive of airing their views, though their children were their usual self playing at the helipad. However, after some persuasion both husband and wife spoke about their plight. “We are poor. We do not want to invite any more problems. People in the village look at us with suspicion. We have to live with them. Please do not write anything ill about them,” pleaded Parveen Taj.

“The poor in this country are destined to live like this. Nobody can help us. It is our fate,” she said in a tone filled with pain.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka