Destitute Dalit family living in cave for 15 years
Added At: 2010-12-19 12:13 AM
Last Updated At: 2010-12-19 12:13 AM
The Himalayan Times - Saved Articles(s)
PRAKASH SINGH
BAJURA: Raibhane BK of Sappata-9, Muktikot, experienced poverty at its
worst when he ended up in a cave with his family 15 years ago. Since
then suffering has been his constant companion over the years.
He lost his wife in the cave ten years ago. He was too poor to educate
his two children. He asked, "How can I feel happy when my stomach is
empty and my body is not covered?"
His family neither has warm clothes to wear nor a mattress to sleep
on. "We sit beside the fire to warm our bodies." He said he had
received a change of clothes after eight years of life in the cave
when an NGO provided clothes to each of his family members last year.
Though Raibhane once had a house and a little patch of farmland in the
village, all his property, including the house and farmland, was swept
away in a landslide. Since then he has been living in the Sigaure cave
near Banjada forest.
Now in his 50s, he also does not have a citizenship certificate. He
asked, "What's the use of citizenship if one does not have any
property?"
According to Man Bahadur Rokaya, a local, Raibhane sharpens iron
implements and receives food stuff from villagers, with which he feeds
his daughter Laxmi (15) and son Sur Bahadur (13) in return.
Moreover, Laxmi is disabled and both children are illiterate.
Raibhane said he could never think of sending his children to school .
"It is so difficult to feed them twice a day, sending them to school
is totally out of the question." He hopes for happiness after sending
his son to India for employment. He said, "Perhaps, my life will be
better then."
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