From News Dispaches AGRA: About 40,000 Bengali widows were leading a miserable life in Vrindaban temples, and Radha Kund in Mathura district.
Highlighting their plight the Lok Vichar Samiti, a social welfare organization of Agra, has demanded early salvation for these women being exploited in the name of religion and denied even the basic human rights.
The Samiti report said that thousands of widows make a bee Line for Vrindaban where they spend their lives singing bhajans and praying in ahsrams. They were being paid rupee one a day, 250 grams of rice and 50 grams of dal per day as wages for singing devotional songs for over 12 hours a day with no additional benefits or medical attendance. These widows live like cattle in the sheds of the ashrams.
Expressing grave concern over the lot of these women the samiti stated that this problem has escaped the notice of progressive governments in the state and the Centre.
Therefore a comprehensive legislation to safeguard their legitimate rights was urgently required.
Bhengali widows have been kicked out of homes for generation and forced to flee to religious centers only to be exploited by unscrupulous elements the report stressed.
The Lok Vichar Samiti has sent a letter to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu demanding sponsored projects for the welfare of Vrindaban widows to save them from further exploitation.
A three pronged action strategy has been suggested to tackle the problem: Construction of a decent shelter, comprehensive medical facilities and gainful work and education.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 2, 1989
