New Delhi: Three months after he was killed in a crossfire between two communities in Manipur, Border Security Forces jawan Ranjit Yadav’s family still awaits any compensation from the Union and state governments.
Constable Ranjit Yadav, who was posted with the 163 Battalion, was the lone breadwinner in his eight-member family, residing in Kankinara of West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.
Kaushalya Yadav (34), his widow, says, “Ranjit left home saying that we will find a suitable boy as groom for his younger sister, once he is back. We didn’t know he would not be able to keep his promise.”
Over the past four months, violence in India’s northeastern state of Manipur has raged between the Meitei and Kuki communities, resulting in the loss of over 160 lives, including that of Ranjit Yadav.
Kaushalya had approached the Manipur government twice for compensation. But says that she hasn’t received any money, from either the state government or the Union government, yet.
Ranjit was deployed in the state since May 3, when violence broke out. On the night of June 5, he spoke to Kaushalya over the phone.
On June 6, Ranjit sustained a bullet injury near his chest and was rushed to the Jitan Hospital in Kakching where he was declared dead. A BSF official said suspected Kuki miscreants resorted to indiscriminate and heavy firing targeted at BSF troops deployed at the Serou Practical High School. Two soldiers from Assam Rifles were also injured on the same day.
Ranjit’s body was brought to the family on the same day, i.e., June 6.
“I told our 11-year-old that his father will never come back. The truth will make him strong,” Kaushalya said.
Aayush, Ranjit and Kaushalya’s son had in fact been skipping school out of the belief that his father might return any moment. He has returned to school now and wants to join the Indian Army. His mother said that his new dream is to replace his father in the position and fight for the country.
She also urged Manipur’s communities to resume peace.
Yadav had two sisters – Buli (21) and Urmila (32). Buli is visually impaired. In addition to them and his wife and child, he also had a brother, Sanjeet (26) and his elderly parents who were dependent on him.
“In these times of inflation were even one person cannot survive, I have to earn for seven,” said Kaushalya, who adds that even the West Bengal government has not done anything.
Kaushalya, who is a Class 10 graduate, is looking for jobs. Many politicians have visited the family, she noted. However, for everyday expenses Kaushalya has had to borrow money.
Union home minister Amit Shah, in his press conference on June 1, had promised Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the kin of those who died in the violence. Data received from District Collector’s office Kakching shows that six people have got Rs 5 lakh as compensation (the Union government’s share). However, Ranjit’s name was not in the list when The Wire checked.
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The PIB Fact-Check Unit has said on X (formerly Twitter) that:
“.@thewire_in has claimed that martyred BSF JawanRanjit Yadav’s family has not received any compensation #PIBFactCheck -This claim is #Fake -Family of late BSF Jawan received the entitled compensation from Golden Jubilee Seema Prahari Kalyan Kavach Yojana of ₹ 16 lakh.”
The PIB has either misread the news report or chosen to misrepresent the report in The Wire, which specifically mentioned the unpaid compensation was due to the dead jawan’s family from the Manipur state government and the Union government, as per the announcement by Union home minister Amit Shah on June 1, 2023.
Moreover, the Golden Jubilee Seema Prahari Kalyan Kavach Yojana is a group insurance pay-out to the family, not the compensation for death during the ongoing violence in Manipur.
In the news story on slain BSF Jawan Ranjit Yadav, which you can read here, The Wire’s correspondent has clearly mentioned that Ranjit Yadav’s wife had approached the government of Manipur twice, and she didn’t receive any compensation from them (till the time of filing the report).
The story specifically refers to no compensation from both the state government of Manipur or from the Union government.
The reference is to what should have flowed from Union home minister Amit Shah’s promises in his press conference on June 1, 2023, where he stated that those who lost their lives would receive Rs 5 lakh in compensation from the Manipur government and Rs 5 lakh from the Union government.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m9jUIgwkzU 08:18 – 08:45)
The Wire story does not refer to the BSF or say that the BSF has not paid compensation.
In Ranjit Yadav’s wife’s conversation with The Wire, she didn’t mention the Golden Jubilee Seema Prahari Kalyan Kavach Yojana.
Also, the Golden Jubilee Seema Prahari Kalyan Kavach is not compensation, but a group insurance scheme, as defined in official documents, for “risk to the lives of BSF troops while on duty.” Jawans contribute to it.
Listed under benefits on the BSF website, operational death cases should entitle the jawans to Rs 40 lakhs.
The Wire stands by its report.