[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 7 Oct: Martyr Havildar Hangpan Dada’s family is still waiting for the state government to fulfil some of the promises made to the family.
Dada made the supreme sacrifice for the country on 27 May, 2016, while valiantly fighting in the treacherous Shamsabari range in North Kashmir, and eliminating four heavily armed terrorists who had infiltrated into North Kashmir from Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
Dada was honoured posthumously with the Ashok Chakra, the highest award given to an army man during peacetime operations.
Apart from promising time-bound promotion of Dada’s widow in her job, the government had assured to provide her with land and educate her children. The government had also promised to provide a petrol pump and a house for the family of the late Dada.
However, six years have passed but the government is yet to fulfil the promises.
“In the last six years, two new petrol pumps have come up in our area. But till now we have not been given a licence for the petrol pump as assured by the government,” said Chasen Lowang Dada, the widow of late Hangpan Dada.
She claimed also that the government even assured to provide fund for the construction of a new house. “A plot of land has been provided to us. But to avail this also I faced so many difficulties. I had to run from pillar to post for it. We are still waiting for the government to construct a new house for us, as assured,” she said.
“For the sake of my children, I appeal to the state government to fulfil the promises made to us at the earliest,” she added.
However, she did acknowledge that the state government is taking care of her children’s education and has provided her with a plot of land.
She further said that the Indian Army authorities keep in regular touch with her. “They always enquire about us. I will always be grateful to the army for being so nice to my family. Sadly, our state government, in particular the local representatives of Tirap district, have no time for people like us. No one understands the pain that my family is going through,” she said.
Inducted into the Assam Regiment in 1997, Dada was posted with the 35 Rashtriya Rifles – a force created for counter-insurgency operations – at the time of his demise. He was born on 2 October, 1979, in Borduria village, near Khonsa in Tirap district.
Besides his widow, Dada is survived by a son and a daughter.
