கசாபை அடையாளங்காட்டிய சிறுமிக்கு பள்ளி அனுமதி மறுப்பு!

கசாபை அடையாளங்காட்டிய சிறுமிக்கு பள்ளி அனுமதி மறுப்பு!

இந்தியாவில் மனிதர்கள் எப்படியெல்லாம் நடந்து கொள்வார்கள் என்று பார்த்தால், வேடிக்கையாக, வினோதமாக, ஆனால், பின்னணியில் ஒன்றை வைத்துக் கொண்டுதான் அவ்வாறு நடந்து கொள்கிறார்கள் என்பது தெரிகிறது.

மும்பை ஜிஹாதி தீவிரவாத 26/11 தாக்குதல்களில் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களுள் தேவிகா என்ற 11 வயது சிறுமியும் ஒருத்தி.

அதுமட்டுமல்லாது, இவள் தைரியமாக கோர்ட்டிற்கு வந்து, கசாபை அடையாளங்காட்டினாள்.

அப்பொழுது கசாப்பின் வக்கீல் அப்பாஸ் கஷ்மி என்பவர் , அவள் பொய் சொல்லுவதாகக் குற்றம் சாட்டினார்.

அப்பொழுது, அந்த சிறுமி சொன்னாள், “கடவுளின் பெயரால் ஆணையிட்டுச் சொல்கிறேன், நான் பொய் சொல்லவில்லை” – “Bhagwan ki kasam khakar main jhoot nahin bolti (I don’t lie after swearing by God).”

பந்த்ராவில் உள்ள நியூ இங்கிலீஸ் ஸ்கூல், பலதடவை அலையவிட்டு, பிறகு, இந்த பள்ளியில் சேர்க்கை நிறைவடைந்து விட்டது என்று அனுப்பிவிட்டார்களாம். கசாப்பை அடையாளங்காட்டிய சாட்சி என்ற ஒரே காரணத்திற்காகத்தான், அவளுக்கு அனுமதி மறுக்கப் படுகிறது என்று தெரிகிறது. தேவிகா என்ற அந்த சிறுமியோ, தான் படித்து ஒரு போலீஸ் ஆபிஸர் ஆக வேண்டும், தீவிரவாதத்தை எதிர்த்து போராடவேண்டும் என்றேல்லாம் பேசுகிறாள். ஆனால், இச்சிறுமிக்கு உத்வ யாரும் வருவதாகத் தெரியவில்லை.

School ‘rejects’ 26/11 girl

SATISH NANDGAONKAR

Devika Rotawan. (Fotocorp) Mumbai, June 21: An 11- year-old girl crippled during the Mumbai attacks, whose emotional but unshakeable testimony in Ajmal Kasab’s trial had given her national fame, has allegedly been turned away by a private school that doesn’t want to risk “trouble” by admitting a 26/11 victim. Slum child Devika Rotawan had appeared in the court on crutches, her right leg shattered by the Pakistani gunmen’s bullets, and later earned praise from the judge for her testimony that helped nail Kasab. But the terror attack that has changed her life for ever now threatens her future, her father Natwarlal told The Telegraph this evening. Natwarlal said he had been dreaming of admitting both his children to New English School, located near his tiny chawl room in Bandra East, where he lives with Devika and son Jayesh, 13. “First they (the school) said, ‘Get a letter from the police’ and I submitted a letter from the crime branch. I was called again today at 2pm, when school principal Rathod told me they could not admit Devika as they feared trouble because of her 26/11 background,” Natwarlal said. The 46-year-old father, who is originally from Rajasthan and sells dry fruits and saffron for a living, said he was heartbroken. “My daughter did a service to the country by helping identify convict Kasab. After she bravely stood in the courtroom and identified Kasab, everybody including the judge told me she was a bright child and I should educate her. But if a school refuses, what can I do?” The family prefers New English School because it’s at a walking distance from their home at Sant Dhyaneshwar Nagar slum. “Till Kasab is actually hanged, there may be a threat to Devika’s life. That’s why I prefer this school — so she doesn’t have to travel much,” Natwarlal said. He added that the Tata Group had offered to sponsor Devika’s education. The New English School management could not be contacted. But crime branch officer Vilas Jamawane, who had given a letter on behalf of Mumbai police requesting the school to admit Devika, said: “I had visited the school with Devika’s father and requested them to admit her.” He added: “We had met the vice-principal. She told us the final decision would be taken by the trust that runs the school. I am not aware of what transpired today but I hope Devika gets admission because she is a bright and brave girl.” On the night of 26/11, the Rotawans were waiting at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to board a train to Pune when Devika was injured by Kasab’s bullets. “Her right leg broke into two and doctors put a rod in her leg. The doctors said she wouldn’t be able to walk properly for at least three years. Today she walks slowly without crutches, but it hurts,” Natwarlal said. On June 10 last year, however, a hobbling Devika had left the entire courtroom deeply impressed. “What happens if you take an oath and lie?” judge M.L. Tahaliyani had asked her in Hindi. She replied it was sinful to take an oath in the name of God and lie. Minutes later, she identified Kasab as one of the two gunmen she saw at the terminus. When Kasab’s lawyer Abbas Kazmi accused her of lying, Devika replied: “Bhagwan ki kasam khakar main jhoot nahin bolti (I don’t lie after swearing by God).”