Thousands of widows from Bengal, Orissa and Bihar go and settle there and die. The population of the place is 63, 000. Hema Malini, the BJP member of the parliament raised the valid point why hundreds of widows from other states come to Vrindavan which is in U.P and is already overcrowded with widows.
There are several charitable Hindu institutions which are catering for these widows and they cannot cope with the new arrivals. Some of the young widows are abused, a large number of them beg and sleep on the roadside and they do not get enough food to survive. We all feel sorry for the conditions of these unfortunate people and we Hindus are shameless since nothing is done to them.
The question one has to ask why these widows come from other states? is it not the duty of the state governments to provide shelter for the widows who have been thrown out of their families?
The Indian government spends more than 500 cores for Haji pilgrimage every year. If the present BJP government spend some money on Hindu pilgrims by building hostels in Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar, vrindavan can project a positive image of the place.
Almost all Hindu holy places are filled with beggars and gives negative image on the foreign tourists and these historical holy places attract foreign tourists. Hindus should be ashamed how churches are maintained in Europe?
The NDTV reporter Burka Dutt is ‘naive’ on her part to suggest that these widows have very right to go to any place and beg and it is better if they beg in their own state and why come to U.P and bring bad name to the state? The income from some rich temples run into cores of rupees and they can start a central organisation to help these beggars and widows who come to holy places.
It is shame that Indians talk about ’India shining’ and they cannot provide food and shelter for poor Hindus and widows.
Arun Vaidyanathan
By email
