Chanduram Ram Majhi of the Gond tribe of Odisha served as a constable in the army from Jammu and Kashmir to West Bengal and Rajasthan. But when the uniforms of the army were removed, Maji probably did not know that he would not live a quiet and comfortable life. Today, the mother needs to work as a child and for herself. This Javan also served in the army and made bicycle repairs for life.
The story of Chanduram Ram Ma Hii, a native of Parasakhol village in Nupapa district of Odisha, is heartwarming. 51 year old Chanduram joined the army in 1988. Traveling from a military service to a havildar like Chaviram is nearing retirement and the family is in trouble.
‘I was about to retire in August 2012 and was anxious to spend some peaceful time with my family in my ancestral village, in the meantime some kind of paralysis went down from my wife’s hips. I showed him to a hospital in Jammu and Kashmir, where I was posting but after a month of treatment I was told that the disease is specific and cannot be cured. I brought him to his village in Nuvapada, where he died in November 2012. This is where the bad days of magic begin.
When he tried to extend the leave to take care of his sick wife and his 4 daughters, including a newborn, he was not allowed and was instructed to return to duty. If the mountain of sorrows were broken upon Maji, he would not join duty. Meanwhile, his retirement date is also out. After the due date of his retirement, he tried to get his retirement arrears from the army and wrote several letters to the ASC Record Room in Bangalore.
He was advised to rejoin his last unit in Jammu and Kashmir, but was asked to go to the record room in Bangalore when he went there. The former said that nothing had happened, and that he had been kicked from one place to another, like football. After about fifteen days on the train, I fell sick and then came home tired.
The former said he was asked to rejoin his last unit in Jammu and Kashmir again after some time. Upon arriving there in 2017, he was placed as a quarter-guard for 89 days and was appointed as a constable by Havildar. Although he lived there for about a year, he received no salary, and then returned home in January 2019, he said.
In December last year, when the 5271 ASC Battalion wrote a letter asking for all documents to be sent to the ASC Record Room in Bangalore, the former said he was hoping for a retirement. The former soldier also sold bicycle and bicycle repairs and chicken for the livelihood of his family, said Sarpanch Hari Ex, of Goodfula Gramachanchayat. Sarpanch said it was a daily labor for several days before he attempted suicide.
However, earlier this year, the Army had paid its balance of Rs 3.14 lakh But this has not done him much good, as the former has also taken out a loan in the past few years. The amount ended up being the default. Maji has four daughters. One was 22 years, the second was 19 years, the third was 17 years and the fourth was 9 years.
The former said that they had done their best to teach the girls. Go to school and college. But now it is difficult to take the family forward if they do not get their dues. The government has guaranteed aid to all poor families, but not to anyone who has fought for the country for more than 24 years, the former said. No benefits have been received over the years.
Speaking about the matter, Nuwapada District Collector Swadha Singh learned about the issue 2 days ago and asked his officer on what grounds the Majis were declared fugitives. We are trying to find out if he has retired from service in a respectful manner, ”said the collector. I asked my officers to find out from the commanding officer of the last serving unit. If there is any real basis, we will try to help him. We are trying to get their daughters to pursue studies in school and college. The collector said that as soon as we knew about his record, we would help him with the District Red Cross Fund.
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