Short Story- the Lucky People

By: Dalip Singh Wasan

The Lucky People

Sukhdev Singh Sukha had been my class fellow. He was in ninth class when he left study and joined army. He had joined study late and therefore, he was about 19 years age when he joined Indian Army. He had been visiting the village once in a year when he was given annual leave and it had been on record that he never missed a present for me. If due information had been with me, I used to take him from the railway station on my car. Most of his time he had been with me and at my house.

Because of his hard work and sincerity, he had been promoted time and again and when he was killed in an accident he was Subedar. The accident occurred while he was on duty and therefore his son Mohinder Singh was earmarked for a job when he was to complete 18 years of age and his wife was given family pension. All passed without any recognition. I helped the family and they could got whatever was available from government side. the parents were not given anything and therefore, they also became dependent upon the widow daughter in law. They had got very small holding and therefore, that was not sufficient to run the family. For two three years I had been sparing some food grains for the family and then my father stopped this help from my side.

During National Emergency, Jarnail Singh from the next village joined army. Within the next one year his dead body was brought for crimination in his own village. He was also close to me. I was going to attend his Bhog ceremony. The father of Sukhdev Singh also wanted to accompany me. His wife, mother of Sukhdev Singh also showed her desire and I also took her with us.

In Bhog ceremony so many Political leaders were present. The Deputy Commissioner was also present. The Deputy Commissioner announced that the state shall give a Jagir to the family of Jarnail Singh and his parents shall also be given some financial help. They announced family pension for his widow and donated a sum of rupees five lakhs from government side as Ex-gratia grant. The people collected there also made long speeches in honour of the martyr the village Panchayat also announced some grant to the family. Some organizations from the city were also present and they also announced financial help to the family and they presented cheques from their sides.

After Bhog ceremony, the village panchyat served the Sangar with Langar. We also participated in all the events and at about three in the evening, we started for back journey.

In the way the father of Sukhdev Singh started speaking,

'At least a sum of rupees ten lakhs has been given to the family?'

'Yes, it is the duty of the nation to help such families. Jarnail Singh was the only bread earner in this family and he too has died in war. It is the duty of the nation to look after such families. He gave life for the cause of nation. It is not charity what has been given to the family.'

Father of Sukhdev Singh was sitting by my side. His eyes were closed. I observed that he was recalling his dead son Sukhdev Singh. Before I could say something about Sukhdev Singh, the mother of Sukhdev Singh said,

'Our Sukhdev Singh also died in the army. We have not been given so much.'

The father of Sukhdev Singh opened his eyes and said,

'Our son Sukhdev Singh did not die in war. He died in peacetime.'

'He was a fauji. Jarnaila was also a fauji.'

'These Jaagirs are given only to the families of those who die in war.'

The mother had been silent. But after some time she spoke,

'Our Sukha should have waited for this war. If at all he was to die, he should have died in this war. His family and we could have been compensated.'

'All this was not in our luck. We are not lucky people'.

In spite of lapse of many years, I still remember the talk in between two people-father and mother of a fauji who died in army.
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