Ten months after the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the life of Santosh Jagdale, her daughter Asawari Jagdale, listless and devastated, still struggles to receive the government job promised to her family by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Santosh Jagdale was among 26 people who were killed by terrorists in Pahalgam Valley in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 last year. Out of the 26 people, six were from Maharashtra. Following the attack, the Maharashtra government had announced financial assistance and government jobs for the next kin of the deceased. However, after 10 months of the attack, Asawari still struggles to get the job.
“The Chief Minister had assured me that I would be given a job in the Pune Municipal Corporation. My documents were prepared by August and subsequently forwarded to the Mantralaya in Mumbai. However, no update has been received from there until the first week of February,” Asawari told FoEJ Media.
“We spoke to more than 100 people in an attempt to follow up on the matter, but no one provided a clear answer on when the job would be given to us,” she added.
Asawari said she had lost all hopes to get a government job until BJP leader Medha Kulkarni came forward to help the family.
“We had almost lost hope. Then, through a source, we obtained the contact of Medha Kulkarni. She reassured us and took the time to speak with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on our behalf,” Asawari said while talking to FoEJ Media.
The issue gained wider attention after Medha Kulkarni recently posted about it on social media. Following her post, several media organisations reached out to the family, seeking details about the assurances made and the delay in implementing them.
“After Medha Tai’s post, the media got in touch with us. Several news channels and newspapers covered the issue yesterday. It also reached Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who then directed the Pune Municipal Corporation to issue orders for my appointment,” she said.
“We went to the residence of Eknath Shinde. He also made calls to officials and assured us that the matter would be resolved,” she added.
Asawari recalls the long emotional and financial struggle that followed the attack.
“These 10 months have been extremely difficult for us. We had already lost a family member and were going through a painful phase. We never expected to face such prolonged struggles in this situation,” Asawari said.
“My mother and I are completely exhausted, mentally, physically, in every possible way,” she added.
Asawari further recalled the visits of politicians and delegates who came to pay tribute to the family and assured support, making her feel that she would not have to struggle much. However, things did not happen as expected.
“When the incident took place, ministers and delegations visited our home for nearly a month. After speaking to all of them, I believed we would not have to struggle this much,” she said.
“What we have lost can never truly be compensated. My father cannot come back, I lost him before my eyes; he was covered in blood. But it was the government’s responsibility to take care of us after the attack,” Asawari said.
“If security forces had been present that day, April 22, this incident would not have happened,” she added.
Belonging to a family without government employees, Asawari recalled how she learned the procedures without guidance, adding to her stress.
“There was no one to guide me about the procedures or what steps needed to be taken. I had to figure everything out on my own and manage every aspect myself,” she said.
“When the incident happened, so many promises were made and we were given assurances and encouragement. Then why are we still being made to struggle?” she added.
Talking about the financial struggles that followed, she said, “We have been facing severe financial hardship since the sole breadwinner of our family was killed in a terrorist attack on April 22 last year. I had to leave my private-sector job to stay with my mother, who has been going through an extremely difficult time.”
“My mother has had to recount exactly what happened at every step, to different people. She has relived that incident thousands of times,” she added.
On getting the job, she said she remains hopeful and is not thinking about the negative aspect. “Hopefully, I will get this job. I am not allowing myself to think about the negative possibilities.”
“I miss my Papa. Not a single day passes without me feeling his absence. No matter how many obstacles come my way, I have promised him to stay strong and fulfill all the dreams he left behind with honesty and integrity,” she added.
