Not getting medical aid, train tragedy victims tell minister

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 3

Education Minister OP Soni faced embarrassing moments at a programme here today where he, on behalf of NRI Mohinder Singh Dhiman, was to hand over cheques for Rs 25,000 each to the kin of the Amritsar train tragedy victims.

The minister could not convincingly reply to queries of the victims’ families who asked for the “assured” jobs as per the government’s special rehabilitation scheme.

Pawan Kumar and wife Anita, both received head injuries in the tragedy that claimed 59 lives three months ago, were snubbed when they tried to apprise the minister that the government had discontinued their medical aid.

The government had presented Rs 5 lakh each to the deceased families and Rs 50,000 each to the injured ones as compensation, besides assuring free treatment in government and private hospitals. But, Pawan said it ended up in a farce. He and his wife do petty labour jobs and raised a loan to meet their medical expenses.

Incidentally, he is the same person whose photographs with Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu went viral when she had gone to the hospital to meet the injured hours after the incident. “I went to Dr Sidhu’s house and met her many times. I apprised her that the doctors refused to treat us free, but except for false promises from her side I got nothing. Today, the minister too snubbed me on the stage,” Pawan said.

Manjit Kaur, who lost her husband Abhey Kumar and received injuries in the accident, said initially, she too got free treatment, but later it was discontinued. “Whatever compensation we received was consumed. Now, the doctors asked me to arrange money for the treatment. I lost my husband in the accident and don’t have any fixed source of income,” she said.

Deepak, whose left leg was fractured during the accident, has a similar tale to tell. “Initially, my leg was operated upon free of cost. But I required another surgery and the hospital has told me to bear its expenses,” he said.

Swarn Kaur, mother of Dalbir Singh, who played Ravana during Ramlila and died while trying to save people on tracks, said, “The government didn’t provide job to her son as was promised by the Chief Minister. Dr Sidhu too became indifferent…”