Farmer's family saddled with 28 funeral guests for nearly a month

Biswabrata Goswami 

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 20 APRIL: “Now is not a good time to die”, said Subrata Sardar, who has come to join a funeral ceremony on 19 March at his in-law’s house at Komthana, Sardarpara under Palashipara police station area in Nadia, but he could not return back to house at Gangnapur due to consecutive ‘curfews’ – Janata curfew and lockdowns.

Like him, another 27 persons including a few children have come to the house of one Atul Bhowmik’s house from different areas of the district to join the funeral ceremony where an 85-year-old woman –Sundari Bhowmik died due to old-age ailments.

The consecutive Janata curfew, 21-day lockdown and another two weeks lockdown up to 3 May have become one of the most unforgettable events in Atul Bhowmik’s life. “It’s really challenging for a poor farmer’s family to bear the daily foods and essential items for 28 guests for over a month. It’s grief upon grief. The harsh reality is that no one from administration or panchayat has come forward to help us”, said Bhowmik.

“We are three brothers. So, my two brothers are accommodating rooms and providing food for our guests. But, it is becoming excruciating to us to bear the burden”, Bhowmik added.

This apart, the bereaved family members have arranged accommodation of their guests to their relatives’ houses in the village and many of them are staying there for the last 20 days. However, things are not smooth there either. For, here too, families are struggling hard to keep the guests in their houses.

When asked, Subrata also pointed, “What makes it even harder to live is the hint of hostility and suspicion with which the locals regard us.”

“We approached the local Trinamul Congress panchayat pradhan to extend help to us, but he denied doing anything for us”, said Bhowmik.

When contacted, Subrata appealed, “Please, sir, do something for us so that we can return to our houses as quickly as possible”.

Informed about the situation, a team of Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) activists headed by Moutuli Nagsarkar submitted a deputation before the SDO, Sadar, urging him to make arrangements so that these stranded people can reach their houses as early as possible.

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