Politics over martyr’s death: UP CM, BJP leaders visit Hemraj’s home

mangaloretoday.com/ CNN/IBN

Sher Nagar, Jan 14: Politicians have started to make a beeline for slain Indian Army Lance Naik Hemraj Singh’s home in Sher Nagar village of Mathura’s Kosi Kalan in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders visited Hemraj Singh’s widow and met his family members.

 

BJP Lok Sabha MP Sushma Swaraj met Dharamvati and assured her that the country was with her. "The country will take revenge. We will teach Pakistan a lesson. They took one head, we will bring 10 back," said Sushma. She was accompanied by BJP president Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh.

Akhilesh, who along with a few other senior ministers visited the family after the BJP delegation, said that his government will provide all necessary help to Hemraj’s family. "There is nothing political about this visit. It’s our duty to respect and honour our martyrs. No compensation is enough but it’s the duty of government to support the family," said Akhilesh while announcing a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the family.

 

The decision of the martyr’s family ended the fast after Army Chief General Bikram Singh promised to visit the family while the Central government and the army announced a compensation of Rs 46 lakh, which does not include the compensation announced by the state government.

Hemraj’s relative Kalyan Singh called the Army Chief the head of a family. "The Army chief has paid homage to Hemraj. He is like the head of a family. If he comes to meet us it will be out of a sense of duty," he said.

The family of Hemraj, which is on a hunger strike demanding the severed body of the martyred soldier, said on Monday that it will break the fast only when the Army chief visits the village and promises that the remains of his body will be brought back.

"We are not going to call off our fast if a leader comes here and request us to do so. We want the Army chief to come here and assure us that he will get Hemraj’s head back from Pakistan. Only then we will call off our fast," said Hemraj’s cousin Narendra.

Hemraj’s wife and mother are on the fourth day of their hunger strike demanding the government bring back the remains of the martyr. His wife is now being administered a glucose drip and an ambulance is on standby.

Lance Naik Hemraj Singh was beheaded and mutilated on the border in Poonch on January 8, 2013. The family cremated his body on Saturday, but his wife and mother now say they won’t rest till they get back all his remains, including his severed head. The village is tense as well with angry residents asking the government to give a befitting reply to Pakistan.