BALLIA: As the pall bearers carried Nirbhaya's body to the cremation grounds in Delhi on Sunday morning, her family members in her village finally had time for themselves.
Speaking to TOI, Nirbhaya's grandfather said, "We are grateful for the support we received in the protests against what happened to Nirbhaya. Otherwise, this fight for justice could have never been fought."
The women of the family stayed indoors as family elders gathered to plan for her parents' return to the village. The grandfather said, "Her parents and younger siblings will reach Ballia on Tuesday. The 13-day-long last rites will be performed here."
For the nondescript village, the last few days have been very hectic. The local BJP MLA and leaders of the Samajwadi Party made repeated visits after Nirbhaya's death. But the flurry of activity that catapulted this village into the limelight is now raising questions about what the "system" proposes to do to ensure no girl has to undergo what Nirbhaya went through.
"Primarily, people leave this village because they want to prosper. Basic health and education infrastructure is missing here. We don't need sympathy, we need development. If there are better facilities here, we will make sure our children stay here, safely," said Bharat Paswan, a resident of Nirbhaya's village.
That is, however, a promise none has made. For one, UP's revenue minister Ambika Chaudhary belongs to the region. There is also a bevy of senior Congress leaders who are from the region but are conspicuous by their absence. Union MoS for home, RPN Singh, may have made up by being present at Nirbhaya's funeral in Delhi on Sunday, but other Congress leaders from east UP have not visited the family.
The BJP MLA from the region, Upendra Tiwari, visited only after he sniffed an opportunity to be heard and photographed. "What help can they possible promise us," Nirbhaya's uncle asked.
Grateful for support: Nirbhaya’s kin
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Grateful for support: Nirbhaya’s kin
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Grateful for support: Nirbhaya’s kin
