Lalu inducts Tantya's great-great-grand daughters in Railways

Kanpur, July 5 (UNI) Paying homage to the revolutionist Tantya Tope, a frontline leader and martyr of The 1857 Mutiny, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad inducted his great-great-grand daughters in the Railways Department.

Vinayak Rao Tope, a third descendent of Tantya Tope, and his family comprising, his wife, two daughters and a son were reeling under penury at Lav-Kush Nagar of Bithur, 30 km away from here.

Vinayak's family had been earning a livelihood from a small 'kirana' shop, opened near their house. The shop sustains them but does not provide enough for the three children to complete their education. One of his daughters recently got a job as a teacher, which earns her a paltry sum of Rs 600 per month, while the other two children were still unemployed.

Tantya Tope was four years old, when his ancesters migrated to Bithur from Maharashtra.

Mr Yadav appointed Pragati and Tripti in the Railway's Undertaking Container Cooperation of India.

''We should come forward and help the descendents of the freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives for the nation,'' Mr Yadav said.

Senior Congress leader Badri Narayan Tiwari today told UNI that they will write a 'letter of thanks' to the Railway Minister for such a noble deed and invite him to Bithore to honour him.

Earlier, Mr Vinayak had urged Mr Tiwari to request the Central Government to rehabilitate the family of Tantya Tope in view of the recent celebrations of the 150th anniversary of The 1857 Uprising.

Mr Tiwari had asked the Union Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal, to pay at least Rs 10,000 on compationate grounds to the family of the slain Maratha revolutionist.

Before the matter could be discussed with the Union Government, Mr Yadav took the noble step.

A move initiated by some journalists and others to assist the descendents of the freedom fighter took its pace with the Central Government's order to the UP government to present its report regarding the same at the earliest.

The state goverment further ordered the District Magistrate to probe into the pathetic condition of Mr Tope's family.

The inquiry revealed that the government in 1959 had entitled Mr Vinayak's father Narayan Rao Tope a pension of Rs 50, which was latter revised to Rs 500.

After the death of his father, Mr Vinayak had requested the government to entitle him the pension amount.

Later, in 1997, he was sanctioned Rs 200 per month on compationate grounds. Ironically, it is still awaited.

The District Administration has asked Mr Vinayak to present himself along with the legal documents.

UNI