Disabled man, wife reach CM’s Janatar Darbar after 5-day toil

Kolkata: A disabled man, who had travelled to Kolkata from Gosaba in a tricycle with his wife walking alongside to reach the BJP state office, sought assistance from CM Suvendu Adhikari at Janatar Darbar on Tuesday for a ‘room under a roof’, enrollment of his wife in the Annapurna Yojana scheme and a battery-operated cycle van to earn a living.

Sannyasi Mondal and his wife began their journey five days ago from a remote village in Sunderban’s Gosaba. Covering around 90 km in five days, the couple spent nights at different stops along the way. They reached Kolkata on Monday night and spent the night on the road side.

“We have come to meet the CM to talk about our misery. All we want is a battery vehicle that I can use, a room for us to stay and to see if my wife can get Annapurna Yojana as she could not avail the benefits of Lakshmir Bhandar earlier,” said Mondal, adding that they had been unable to apply earlier as there was no one to guide them.

“The officers here were very helpful as they arranged a coupon for us to meet the CM. The CM has a big heart and we are very grateful,” Mondal said after the meeting.

On Tuesday morning, several others from different districts also arrived at the BJP state office seeking redress. Those who had come the previous week but failed to meet the CM were reportedly given priority.

Binoy Biswas, from a village in Nadia’s Chakdaha, said he approached the CM regarding his disabled daughter’s housing dispute. “The plot where my daughter used to live was grabbed by an influential promoter in 2023. I have been going to the police station and court for justice without any avail. Today, I appealed to the CM to look into our matter, hoping that we will get justice,” he said.Mafizul Molla from Minakhan, identifying himself as a BJP worker, alleged his house was attacked and that he was threatened against filing complaints. “I became homeless and started staying wherever my friends and relatives could give me a place to stay. Many are still homeless. The CM has assured that legally whatever steps could be taken would be done,” he said.