The hands which once shoot the target perfectly and unfailingly now collect dry firewood from the jungle of Surenda. She does not bother for herself but she is worried for her little child. She must feed her hungry two and half year old child. Kanderi Lohar an adolescent girl of a destitute poor tribal family in Orissa once embraced Maoism to revolutionize her life. She left her home and hearth and started living in jungle with gun in hand. But after a few years it occurred to her that only shedding blood and killing people life cannot be changed. Real change in life can be brought about staying in the main stream of life. So after a few years ago when Kendari discarded the path of hatred renouncing gun she became a full grown youth.

There was a reason behind her surrender. At that time Orissa government announced with much fanfare that the Maoist who would surrender with arms would be helped to bring them to the main stream of life and for this they would be provided with amenities for a decent life. They were promised for a rehabilitation package. Government declared that they would be provided money, job and even a house under Indira Abas Yojana. That day Kendari, just in her youth, believed the world around her very bright and visualized golden dreamy days must be ahead.

Since then four years have passed out. Meanwhile all her golden dream shattered. Orissa government is oblivious of its all lofty promises. The only thing that government did was her marriage arranged with a police constable. That constable never did his duty as husband but only gave Kendari a male child. Kanderi in her father-in-laws house often had to suffer affliction. At last she left her father-in-law’s house being unable to bear with anguish. With her little baby she returned to live in her father’s ramshackle cottage at Sagjhore.

Nowadays Kendari finds only darkness and frustration all around but her tow eyes are still look very bright. Her two eyes flashed with anger when she was reminded of the government-promises, but she immediately restrains herself. She said, “No one kept promises but the jungle of Suranda still looks after us like our mother. We collect dry logs from that jungle and manage to quench our hunger somehow. Would you call it a life?”

Kanderi vented her aggrieved, agitated heart again. She said, “I have received neither avowed monetary help nor the home”. My husband has abandoned me as I could not give him 50,000 rupees promised by government.” In spite of her repeated appeal to Bishra block office and other departments she found no help from anywhere. No one ever asked how she is living with her little baby. Being desperate she went to police headquarter at Rourkella, 30 km away from her village. Even for this she took a loan of 30 rupees from her neighbor. Police super Dipesh Pattanayak heard her with patience and said that in police department some home guard would be appointed and he would certainly do something for her.

Ruffling her son’s hair she said, “I don’t think for myself. This little kid is innocent, he has committed not crime, and if I get any job I shall be able to give him a decent life.” For this unrealized dream her eyes looked delusive. Those eyes are only of a mother’s.

Source: Anandabazar- a Bengali daily.