Anil Sonawane to Yashwant Sonawane

Few days back we heard and read of the ruthless murder of Additional DC of Nashik, Yashwant Sonawane. Everyday we get to read various news, stories, profiles in newspapers; that leave us thinking for a while. As I was running through today's newspaper while sipping my morning tea, Manjusha Sonawane's story came in as a shocker!

This was a story of an ordinary woman who earns her bread and butter by working as a domestic help in few families in Pune, but it spoke of her extraordinary (bold and fearless) statement and thoughts. Today she lives hand to mouth because she became a victim of this spineless sarkar one and a half years back. Barely four years in to her married life, Manjusha was living a better life with her husband and in-laws in a small village in Ahmednagar. Her husband, Anil Sonawane, was working as a kotwal at the sand dealers' and was the only bread winner for the family.

He knew of the misconducts going on in this business and also feared threat to his life at some point. After a few days, in July 2009 he died under a tractor carrying sand; which was registered as an accidental death in the police records. However, Sonawane's family and even the villagers believe that he was murdered by the sand mafai. Manjusha lost her husband to some people's selfish gains and cruel acts. This, when she was carrying her second child, soon to be delivered!

She was quoted saying that it came thousands of times to her mind to end her life, but how could a mother leave her children alone in this ruthless world? Her children would be orphaned had she given up on her own life, but she gathered the courage to live on for her children. Lot of efforts have been taken to follow-up her husband's case for justice and compensation for her family, but to no avail.

Manjusha had no option but to leave the village and come to Pune to live with her parents and earn through these means, which wouldn't have been possible in the village. She dreams of educating her children and herself (she has studied until the 9th grade) so that she could earn a decent sum for her children's future.

She reiterates that there is no value for a kotwal's life in the eyes of the government. The poor are orphaned by the inefficient and heartless government. She therefore did not give in to her thoughts of ending her life, looking at her children. Else what difference would remain between the government and me, is what she fearlessly stated! This is definitely a big blow to this sarkar by an ordinary woman, as to what people think about it. She is still waiting and hoping for justice to be done!