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Freedom fighter’s family in distress
It is a heart-rending story of E Arunachalam, a veteran freedom fighter and editor, Voice of Rayalaseema weekly. A resident of Church street, Chittoor, he died two decades ago leaving his two unmarried daughters to their misfortune. Arunachalam did not claim freedom fighter pension as he was continuing as an editor of a reputed vernacular publication.
Chittoor: It is a heart-rending story of E Arunachalam, a veteran freedom fighter and editor, Voice of Rayalaseema weekly. A resident of Church street, Chittoor, he died two decades ago leaving his two unmarried daughters to their misfortune. Arunachalam did not claim freedom fighter pension as he was continuing as an editor of a reputed vernacular publication.
Highlights:
- As there is no encouragement for small newspapers, the family members forced to wind up Voice of Rayalaseema weekly
- Arunachalam’s unmarried daughters are living in a miserable condition
After his death, his wife Sundaramma had made several representations to government seeking sanction of widow pension or family pension. Ravamani, 55, his second daughter, taken over the charge as editor of weekly for more than 15 years.
Renuka, 50, another daughter of Arunachalam, has failed to get employment elsewhere even after completing nurse training. As there was no encouragement for small newspapers, Ravamani forced to wind up her publication. Hence the ways for earning a little bit was also blocked.
Now Ravamani and Renuka are living in a miserable condition and struggling to meet their both ends. They are now living in Greamspet area in Chittoor city in a small rented old house closing the weekly office permanently. The Chittoor Municipal Corporation issued notices to Ravamani to vacate the old house fearing as it may collapse any moment.
Hence, they became shelter less. In fact, the pitiable story was published in certain vernacular and English dailies also. Having come to know the pathetic story of freedom fighters’ family through certain media, then Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal was kind enough to sanction Rs 1,000 per month to Sunderamma, wife of Arunachalam through his charitable trust, who died five years ago.
Speaking to The Hans India, Ravamani decried that she made serious efforts for getting white ration card but failed. “As a journalist and the daughter of a freedom fighter, I have made all efforts to get the assistance from government. Due to our financial crisis, we have remained unmarried. Now we don’t have shelter and literally made orphans.”She added the government should have helped us considering ours as the daughters of a freedom fighter or editor.
By C Prabhakara Rao
