Sulabh Intl adopts Rahul's Kalavati as govt waits to offer help

New Delhi, Jul 28 (UNI) Kalavati Bandurkar, who hogged national headlines after Rahul Gandhi mentioned her as a metaphor of India's downtrodden in Parliament during the confidence motion on July 22 was today adopted, along with her nine children, by the Sulabh international.

She would be given Rs 25,000 per month for the next 20 years so that she can come on her own and live a life of dignity, said Dr Bindeshwar Pathak - founder 'Sulabh Internationl'.

''We waited for about a week to see if the poor lady got any help from anywhere, but to our dismay she remained only a 'reference point' and no help trickled in which could uplift Kalavati from her pathetic condition.'' The turning point for us was when Kalavati said that she too would be forced to commit suicide if she did not get enough land to look after her more than half-a-dozen children, as her farmer husband had done some three years back due to debt, said Mr Pathak.

''We would go on Agust 21-22 and give her Rs three lakh for one year from which at least she could make a decent beginning.'' Thereafter, Rs 33 lakh would be deposited in her name in the bank from where she would get Rs three lakh annually as interest for the next 19 years. This will help her family live life gracefully, Mr Pathak, added.

Flush with the recent successful tour of the United Nations where he paraded 36 scavengers of Alwar (Rajasthan) on ramp, along with country's top models, Dr Pathak said the Sulabh movement believed that any work of social committment was useless unless it came from within.

''Bringing dignity to the poor and marginalised is the only achievement sought.'' UNI AN AKJ VC1815