Assam minister visits Surat, Bhavnagar; extends financial aid to kin of Pahalgam terror attack victims
Assam Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika visited the families of the victims — killed in Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 — in Gujarat's Surat and Bhavnagar, and offered condolences on behalf of the Assam government while handing over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin.
Three Gujarat tourists, including Surat resident Shailesh Kalathiya, Bhavnagar residents Yatishbhai Parmar and his son Smit, were among the 26 persons killed in the attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. Earlier, the state government had also given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of three victims.
On Wednesday evening, Hazarika offered condolences to Shailesh Kalathiya's widow Sheetal and handed over the compensation amount along with a condolence letter written by Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma.
Reiterating her demand for more compensation, Sheetal said on Thursday, 'We received the cheque from the Assam government Wednesday evening. We have also received Rs 5 lakh aid from the Gujarat government, however, they should give a compensation amount similar to the Maharashtra government, which had announced Rs 50 lakh aid, free education for children, and a government job for one of the family members. Gujarat government has given (us) only Rs 5 lakh'.
'My husband was the sole breadwinner of the family and I am a housewife. Now, I have to bear all expenses, including paying for the education of my children and our daily expenses… we are spending from our savings,' she told The Indian Express.
'After shifting our base from Mumbai to Surat, we purchased a house here on loan. Now, I have to pay monthly instalments for the flat where we presently live. My daughter, Niti, studies in a private school in Class 11 and my son Naksh, is in Class 7 and I have to look after their studies as well. There is nobody to help us financially,' she added.
Sheetal, who has a bachelor's degree in commerce, said, 'I am a graduate and I am ready to work for the sake of my children, if the state government gives me a job. '
On Thursday, the Assam minister, who was accompanied by Surat city BJP president Paresh Patel and other state leaders, reached Bhavnagar and met the family members of Yatishbhai and his Smit. Hazarika handed over two cheques of Rs 5 lakh each and the condolence letter written by Assam CM to Yatishbhai's widow Kajalben. Yatishbhai's elder son Abhishek said, 'Today Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika came to our house and handed over the cheques to us. The loss of my father and my brother is irreparable, but we are getting a lot of support from people. Even the Gujarat government has given us ex-gratia cheques.'
The Assam government had decided to reach out to the bereaved families of all 26 Pahalgam terror attack victims to offer condolences and financial support on behalf of the state's people.
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