Ravinder Sood

Palampur, July 3

Rakesh Bhardwaj, father of martyr Vikas Bhardwaj, has been running from pillar to post, as the government has failed to fulfil the promises made to the family, except for providing a job to his daughter. Vikas had sacrificed his life in a militancy operation in Manipur, in 2015.

The Tribune team called the bereaved family at Matehar village in Pandol, 7 km from Baijnath, adjoining Mandi district. Bhardwaj was in tears and said Vikas was his only son and the family’s only hope. The call from the Army headquarters on June 4, 2015, to inform about the death of his son in Manipur virtually shattered the family, he said.

During his cremation, ministers and MLAs of the state reached the village and promised to construct a road to the village and name a school in his memory. A survey was conducted to construct the bridge to connect their village with the road, but no headway has been made in the last five years.

The parents and grandmother of the martyr said they had lost their 24-year-old son. They were feeling let down because of the appalling attitude of the authorities, he said. It seemed that the government had failed to recognise his sacrifice, as no one from came to meet the family and express their support in the past five years, said the martyr’s father.

“All we have are a few condolence letters from the Governor, the CM and the Commanding Officer of Vikas, but nobody cared to establish contact with us,” said Rakesh.

Vikas was a second-generation Army man. His father, retired as a Naib Subedar. With the passion for serving the nation running in his genes, joining the Army was the foremost mission for Vikas. However, the family feels so dejected that they have decided not to let any other member don the olive green uniform, the father said. “The response of the authorities to his sacrifice makes us think that his bravery was an act of foolishness,” the family said, expressing anguish and anger over the attitude of the government.

BRIDGE CONNECTING VILLAGE NOT MADE

Ministers and MLAs had promised to construct a road to the village and name a school in his memory. A survey was conducted to construct the bridge to connect their village with the road, but no headway has been made in the last five years