ORISSALIVE EXCLUCIVE

  Seventy years ago she waged a war against Britishers now she is struggling to survive as nobody-where she has left with hawking in the streets of Jeypur-Succesive governments at centre and state have simply ignored her request for regular freedom fighters allowance.IF YOU CAN HELP HER TO BAIL OUT FROM THE BONDAGE OF POVERTY-LET US COME FORWARD,share your views,comments and say what can you do for her-editor@orissalive.com.

 

Unsung Lady Freedom Fighter

By: K. Sudhakar Patnaik

It seems that both government and people have forgotten the sacrifices made by Ind ia n freedom fighers for their motherland. One such freedom fighter from Orissa, the 80 years old Ms Lakshmi Panda is leading a miserable life even after 60 years of Ind ependence . Jeypore, Koraput district based Ms Panda was identified by one young journalist Paresh Rath way back in 2003 while the forgotten and ignored freedom fighter was working as a domestic servant. Later, her residence became the attraction for the local and national media filing stories on her from different angles on the miserable condition of her and her family members.

Paresh Rath constructed one room for her to live and Jeypore Municipality laid a concrete road upto her residence. The entire map of the street changed but the fate of Ms. Lakshmi Panda changed little.
The Orissa Government recognises Lakshmi Panda as a Freedom Fighter and she is getting monthly pension of Rs 700/- per month from the State government. Unfortunately, Union government is yet to insert her name in the Freedom Fighters' list as she never went to jail.

In fact, Panda's name was included in a register of persons who served in the Rani Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army (INA). The list was prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs and approved by the Union Cabinet in 1984. The list includes the names of INA stalwarts like Captain Lakshmi Sehgal who was also given a signed statement that Panda was associated with the INA. But the file probably kept pending for finalisation in an air condition room of Ministry of Home Affairs at New Delhi .

While talking to this writer at her residence in Jeypore (Koraput district) recently recollecting her early days, she said, her parents were killed in a British Bombing incident while working in the railways in Burma as a result of which my conscious has not permitted to keep silent for untimely demise of my parents by the Britishers. "I had to take revenge against them, kill them and keep Indians free from the clutches of Britishers and joined in Netaji Bose Indian National Army”, she stated.

She was then youngest. She says, Subash Chandra Bose personally gave her the new name of Indira only to avoid the confusing her with the far more famous Lakshmi (Captain Lakshmi Sehgal) at that time in this camp "Bose told me you are Indira". But from then on I am Indira.

I met Lakshmi Sehgal, Lt. Janaki, Gouri and other INA fighters. We went to Singapore in the later part of the war. Most of the INA fighters later joined in Indian Army and I myself escaped from the camp recollecting the early days of her life with INA.

She further says, that her brother Nakula Rath was also a member who disappeared in the war. Later, she came to know that he had come out and joined the Indian Army in Kashmir , but failed to ascertain the whereabouts of him because of her financial stringency and ignorance.

She proudly showed her photo with INA uniform with rifle. She says, it was taken after the war, at a reunion when we were disbanding, "Soon I married Khageswar Panda in 1951 in Berhampur." Most of the Oriya INA members attended her wedding at Berhampur. One year before her marriage, her husband got driver's license and worked few year near Hirakud.

She was happy with her husband who passed in 1976 and troubles started since then with her unemployed son and grand children living in one room with unbearable disturbance. She does not want accept her recognisation by the Union Government, Job for her unemployed son and another room for herself alone to live.

Paresh Rath, young journalist who was with this writer entire day says some progressive people sent donation to her, which was spent on herself, her son and her grand children. Even if she gets the recognisation and pension from the Central Govt., how many years will she enjoy it?

It is nothing but pride if she gets recognisation from the Union government during the last days of her life only to remember her younger days with INA and Subash Chandra Bose.

The author is a Koraput based freelance journalist. The opinion expressed here are his own.