In a heartwarming tale of compassion, the Sewa Nyaya Uththan Foundation (SNUF) gave a new lease of life to a young man after suspected cattle thieves killed his father. Rajneesh struggled to make ends meet and provide for his family when he received an unexpected gift from SNUF that changed his life forever – an autorickshaw.
On March 14 last year, 50-year-old Sewaram Gangwar, who was running a small eatery, was found dead with his neck slashed in Tiyuliya village of Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district. He left behind two sons in their twenties – Rajneesh and his younger brother Rahul. His wife had passed away a couple of months earlier due to an old illness.
The brothers used to help him during the day. They would go back home at night, but Sewaram often slept on a cot adjoining the eatery in the open. He was found dead on the same cot last year.
After the incident, the brothers had no option but to shut it down. “We cannot bear to go to the same place every day where my father was so brutally killed. There is an additional reason for closing the dhaba down, and that is security. None of us feels safe to spend the night there or even stay up late for work,” he had said.
Although SNUF had reached out to Rajneesh after the incident with some financial help, Rajneesh explained his situation, seeking a permanent solution to his financial problems. Moved by his plight, the Foundation decided to help him get back on his feet by gifting him an autorickshaw.
He was overwhelmed with gratitude for SNUF’s support. He knew this gift was his chance to start afresh and provide a better life for his family.
Background
On March 23, 2023, Uttar Pradesh police arrested three youths named Munawwar Khan, Mozim Khan and Musharraf Khan, who were hiding after stabbing Sewaram. Police said the murder took place after an altercation between the deceased and the trio over Rs 4.
The accused reportedly lured the eatery owner away on the pretext of apologising for the fight between them on March 11. The Dhaba owner fell for their friendly talks and went along with them. The trio later brutally stabbed him to death.
We just gifted Rajnish an autorickshaw so he can make a living@swati_gs and @SanjeevSanskrit, founders of Sewa Nyaya Utthan, wish him the best. We also thank all our supporters
Rajnish from Bareilly lost his source of income after his father was killed at the dhaba they ran pic.twitter.com/ZqUNWShYvS
He is Rajneesh, son of Sewaram Gangwar who was brutally killed by suspected cow thieves while sleeping at his dhaba. With you support, we helped Rajneesh tide over the crisis. He is much thankful. Rajneesh has now requested us more help to buy autorickshaw. Dhaba is closed down pic.twitter.com/z5q1vWiRGA
11 मई 2023 की सुबह हम सेवा न्याय उत्थान की ओर से जोधपुर पहुंचे।। वहां से नजदीक गंगाना गाँव मे हम गए। वहां हमारी मुलाकात देहराज भील से हुई, जो खुद विस्थापित हैं और पिछले 12 सालों से यहीं रह रहे हैं। वह हमें पाकिस्तान विस्थापित परिवारों के दो शिविरों में ले गए, जो एक दूसरे से थोड़ी दूरी पर हैं।
पहले कॅम्प मे हमे 5 पाक विस्थापित लोग मिले जो वहां रहते थे। जिनमे भैराराम भील, हादुराम भील और डेहडाराम भील से हमने बात की।
(भैराराम भील)
भैराराम भील (उम्र 45 वर्ष) पिछले दस वर्षों से मिट्टी के घरों में रहते हैं। उन्होंने हमें बताया कि स्थानिक प्रशासन ने कुछ दिन पहले उनके घरों को ध्वस्त कर दिया था। नतीजतन, वे चिलचिलाती गर्मी में आश्रय के बिना रहने को मजबूर हो गए। भीषण गर्मी के कारण बच्चे और बड़े-बूढ़े बीमारियों से जूझ रहे हैं।
लेकिन सेवा न्याय उत्थान फाउंडेशन द्वारा दी गई अस्थायी आश्रय सहायता से उन्हें बहुत राहत मिली। उन्होंने मदद के लिए हमें धन्यवाद दिया और अपनी भाषा मारवाड़ी में हमसे कहा, “स्वाति दीदी रो घनों घनों, Thank You”। “दीदी ने उनके सिर पर छत दी है, अब पानी। यह वही समस्या है। हमें यकीन है कि केवल दीदी ही इसे हल कर सकती हैं।”
( टूटी हुईं पानी की टंकि जिसका उपयोग पीने और अन्य कामों के लिए पानी रखने के लिए किया जा रहा था )
प्रशासन द्वारा जब घर तोड़े गए तो तब उनकी पानी की टंकियां भी तोड़ दी गई थी।
( हादुराम भील )
उन्होंने कहा कि इस गर्मी में 500 लोगों के लिए केवल चार पानी की टंकियां थीं। इसमें दो छोटे टैंक भी हैं।
(डेहडाराम भील)
डेहडाराम ने कहा कि बड़ी उम्मीद के साथ अपना देश समझकर यहां जोधपुर आए है। पाकिस्तान से जान बचाने के लिए यहां आना पड़ा। यहां गला सूखने पर पानी पीने का भी सोचना पड़ता हैं, ताकि पानी खत्म ना हो जाए। घर टूटने के बाद तुरंत दीदी ने जोधपुर आ कर यह बनवा दिया। अब पानी का भी हो जाए तो बहुत अच्छा होगा।
फिर हम दूसरे कॅम्प की तरफ निकले,
(जेमाराम भील)
दूसरे जोधपुर कैम्प पर हमे जेमाराम भील मिले। उन्होंने कहा की हमे यह जो कुछ मिला हैं वो सारा स्वाति दीदी ने दिया हैं।
गर्मी कभी-कभी 48 डिग्री पार हो जाती हैं। बड़ो का समझ सकते हैं लेकिन बच्चे बीमारी से ही मर जाते, लेकिन अब छाव मिली हैं।
(रोखमन भील)
उनके घर के आसपास कई झुग्गियाँ आधी बनाई हुईं दिखी। एक अधूरी झुग्गी मे बैठी बुजुर्ग महिला रोखमन भील ने बताया कि, “दीदी ने झुग्गियों का सामान देकर बहुत अच्छा किया। घर के लोग दिन भर खेतों में मजदूरी करते हैं। रात मे लौटते हैं तो अंधेरा हैं और सब थके होते हैं। इसलिए झुग्गी का काम रोज थोड़ा थोड़ा करते हैं। इसी कारण कई झुग्गियां अधूरी हैं।”
उनके सामने अपनी झुग्गी बना रहे दौलतराम से हम मिले, जो आज काम से छुट्टी पर थे। हम भी उनके साथ इस कार्य मे लग गए।
(दौलतराम भील, जो अपनी झुग्गी बना रहे थे)
दौलतराम ने हमे बताया कि दिन भर घर के सभी बड़े और औरते खेतों मे मजदूरी करने जाते हैं। लेकिन बच्चों को घर ही छोड़ना पड़ता हैं। सभी बच्चे मिलकर दिन भर इधर-उधर बैठे रहते हैं। उनको छाव मिले इस कारण एक झुग्गी आज ही तयार करनी होगी। इसलिए वह छुट्टी पर हैँ।
सामने उनके भाई की झुग्गी मे सभी बच्चे बैठ कर ड्राइंग बना रहे थे। जब हमने विक्रम, अजय और रोहित से जब पूछा की “आपको क्या खेलना पसंद हैं ?” तो उसने बताया की “हम ज्यादा खेलते नहीं क्यूँ की खेलने से गर्मी से धूप में प्यास लगती हैं” और पानी कम होता हैं।
बच्चों की इस बात ने हमें भावुक कर दिया।
(हरे रंग के सलवार मे बैठे मिश्रीरामजी भील, उनके दाएं तरफ अमलिकी भील और अर्जुन )
शाम को हमने 1000 लीटर कपैसिटी की और 4 लेयर क्वालिटी की 9 पानी की टंकिययों की ऑर्डर दी जिनकी हमे दूसरे दिन डिलिवरी मिलने वाली थी ।
दूसरे दिन हम स्पोर्ट्स का सामान और खेलघर बनाने के लिए सीमेंट लेने के लिए निकले। बच्चों के लिए हमने:
2 कैरम बोर्ड, 4 फुटबॉल , 3 क्रिकेट बेट, 8 रोप जम्प, 2 बैडमिंटन, रिंग, लुडो, सांपसीडी , कई गेंद खरीदी।
साथ ही हिंदी और अंग्रेजी वर्णमाला और शब्दों के चार्ट, भारत का नक्शा जैसी पढाई का समान भी खरीदा।
बच्चों का सामना लेने के बाद हम खेलघर के लिये त्रिपाल, बांस बजरी और सीमेंट लेने गए सारा सामान लेकर हम बस्ती पहुचें
सब सामान लेने के बाद हमने खुद ही खेलघर बनाने का काम शुरू किया।
करीब 3 बजे तक हमने नीव का काम पूरा किया। तब तक पानी की टंकियां भी पहुंच गई थी। उन्हें देख कर बच्चे बहुत खुश हुए। टंकियां छोटी बस्ती मे एक जगह और दूसरी बस्ती मे 8 अलग जगह पर स्थापित की गयी। सभी टंकियों मे पानी भरा गया।
(पानी की टंकियां उठाने के लिए बस्ती मे बड़े लोग ज्यादा ना होने के कारण बच्चे खुद ही टंकियां उठाने मे मदत करते हुए)
टंकियों और खेलने की सामान की खुशी में 500 लीटर रूहफ़ज़ा शरबत हमनें बनाया। शाम तक बस्ती के सभी लोग आ चुके थे। सभी ने शरबत का आनंद लेते हुए सेवा न्याय उत्थान फाउंडेशन को धन्यवाद दिया।
जोधपुर से जाने से पहले बस्ती के बुजुर्गों ने सेवा न्याय उत्थान फाउंडेशन को धन्यवाद किया।
Meet Daulat Ram. He lives in Jodhpur after fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan
His house was demolished citing encroachment. But we not only gave him material to make a shelter for family, but also helped him build it
You see these kids dancing on Radhe Radhe? They are Hindu migrants from Pakistan living in Jodhpur; their families awaiting Indian citizenship
Living in slums where water is scarce, their houses and water tanks were demolished by govt. When @sewanyaya team visited this week + pic.twitter.com/0GC5EhCQv3
एसएनयूएफ और पाकिस्तानी हिंदू शरणार्थी जो जोधपुर में बस रहे हैं
सेवा न्याय उत्थान फाउंडेशन (एसएनयूएफ) पाकिस्तान से विस्थापित हिंदू शरणार्थियों के पुनर्वास में सक्रिय रूप से काम कर रहा है। संगठन इन परिवारों को आश्रय सहायता प्रदान कर रहा है, यह सुनिश्चित करते हुए कि कई चुनौतियों का सामना करने के बावजूद उनके सिर पर छत हो। एसएनयूएफ इन विस्थापित परिवारों के बच्चों के लिए शिक्षा केंद्र भी चलाता है, जो उन्हें मुफ्त शिक्षा और बेहतर भविष्य बनाने के अवसर प्रदान करता है। इन कमजोर समुदायों का समर्थन करने के लिए संगठन की प्रतिबद्धता सराहनीय है, और यह देखना प्रेरणादायक है कि उनकी पहल का इन परिवारों के जीवन पर क्या प्रभाव पड़ रहा है।
The Sewa Nyaya Uththan Foundation (SNUF) team is known for working tirelessly to arrange resources for Hindu migrants from Pakistan. However, what many don’t know is that they also don’t hesitate to put in manual labour to complete unfinished houses for these vulnerable families.
Our team member Mayur Bhosale visited one such displaced community in Jodhpur’s Gangana village, Rajasthan, to see how such families were faring after they had received materials from us to complete their houses.
Mayur was surprised to see some people still living in unfinished houses. When he asked some of them why SNUF’s shelter support didn’t achieve the desired impact, he was saddened to hear their response.
A resident named Daulat Ram Bhil, who is nearly completing the construction of his house, explained that all men go to work during the day, and they return exhausted at night. After a tiring day, it can be challenging to continue the construction work.
Some men took breaks and were able to finish the work over a week. However, others, especially those with elderly members or only women and children, faced more challenges. They are slowly helping each other to finish the work.
The lack of electricity at night in Gangana village makes the situation worse for these families.
Mayur took it upon himself to complete the unfinished houses of those families.
Meet Daulat Ram. He lives in Jodhpur after fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan
His house was demolished citing encroachment. But we not only gave him material to make a shelter for family, but also helped him build it
Why is SNUF helping these families to build houses?
These are Hindu families that left every asset behind in Pakistan to escape religious persecution there. They reached India after using all their financial resources for visas and related paperwork required to cross the border.
SNUF Founder Swati Goel Sharma, an award-winning journalist and author, distributed these shelter-building materials to more than 70 families after the local authorities had demolished their homes, calling them “illegal structures” a few months ago.
About SNUF
SNUF was founded in 2018 by Swati Goel Sharma and Sanjeev Newar. Since then, it has grown into a team of dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to support its various initiatives. One of these initiatives is the resettlement of Hindu refugees in India.
Apart from shelter support, SNUF also runs free education centres for children from these families.
Few people remember Dharam Sahu, a man in his early 20s, from Darbhanga, Bihar. Dharam was killed by a Muslim mob last year because he tried to stop one Mohammed Azmal Nadaf from stalking and harassing his married niece. This poor man’s death did not make it to mainstream media headlines because acknowledging a Hindu as a victim of religious persecution is anathema to many.
Sewa Nyaya Uththan Foundation, however, reached out to his family and offered them much-needed financial support. Dharam left behind his wife, whom he married less than two years ago, and a daughter. His daughter was three months old when she lost her father to that carnage.
On June 15, 2022, Dharam and other men from his family confronted Azmal and asked him to stop harassing Kajal. Kajal is Dharam’s niece, who had turned down Azmal’s proposal and married into another Hindu family. Azmal also used to call her in-laws from unknown numbers to cause problems in her marriage. He even threatened to kill Kajal and her husband.
When Dharam asked him to stop interfering in Kajal’s married life, Azmal was so incensed that he gathered a mob of 20-25 people within minutes. They viciously attacked Dharam and his family together while chanting “Allah-o-Akbar”.
Dharam succumbed to many injuries at the Darbhanga district hospital.
Dharam was a cab driver in Gurugram along with his brother Ajay. After his death, Ajay left the job and returned home as he was concerned for his family’s safety and well-being.
To help this family battling financial distress, SNUF gave him one lakh fifty thousand rupees to kickstart their lives with new hope and courage. We hope that this money will help them tide over difficult times.
SNUF recently received the Sree Narayana Guru Award for Social Work for its exceptional work in rehabilitating countless victims who have faced heart-wrenching atrocities.
Help us help the family of Dharam Kumar. Details in our pinned tweet https://t.co/nQDgebzE9V
A Muslim woman, her parents and a cleric in Kanpur allegedly brainwashed a minor Hindu boy to convert and marry her.
Simran, daughter of Mohd Haneef and Jameela Bano, coerced Nikhil Singh (16) to marry her. She is a divorcee and has two kids from a previous marriage. Reportedly, she lured the boy, and her family groomed him for a year before the conversion.
Sewa Nyaya Uththan Foundation (SNUF) filed a complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for Nikhil. The Commission took prompt action and brought Nikhil home after police arrested Simran, her parents and the cleric who led the Nikah.
Nikhil’s story reminds us that young Hindu boys are just as vulnerable to these vile traps as Hindu girls.
Similar crimes targeting minor Hindu
Nikhil’s case isn’t an isolated story of an underage Hindu falling prey to conversion Nikah. There is a well-reported pattern in such crimes targeting the Hindu community, especially in countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, where Hinduphobia is a common and permitted practice.
For example, in Pakistan, every month, grooming gangs from the majority community abduct and forcibly convert as many as 20 underage Hindu girls, who can never see or connect with their families again. What’s worse is that such gangs force these girls to marry much older Muslim men (or sell them into prostitution).
Such crimes are a regular affair, especially in the Sindh region. These abductors take pride in such heinous activities because they insist they are doing “good work”. Police, judiciary and the government have refused to investigate these cases.
In India, many states are looking for ways to counter ‘Love Jihad’ – a pattern of crimes wherein men from the Muslim community fake identities to lure Hindu women. They forge these relationships only for religious conversion and sexual exploitation. These men often conceal their religious and/or marital identity till the woman is completely disconnected from her family.
These patterns aren’t restricted to the sub-continent alone. In April, the UK stirred a diplomatic row with Pakistan when the British Home Secretary Suella Braverman called for a crackdown on “Grooming Gangs” led by British Pakistani men in England.
She said, “(We see) a practice whereby vulnerable white English girls — sometimes in care, sometimes in challenging circumstances — being pursued, raped, drugged, and harmed by gangs of British Pakistani men, who work in child abuse rings or networks.”
Taking cognisance of a complaint by Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation, National Child Commission has intervened @NCPCR_ in a Kanpur case where a minor boy has been allegedly forcibly converted to another religion and married off
We put a smile on the face of Preeti Patel, a single mother of two who left an abusive marriage a few years ago. Preeti lives in her parental house in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh. and struggles to make a living by selling bead necklaces. Sewa Nyaya Uththan Foundation (SNUF) helped her utilize her tailoring skills to generate a new source of income.
So far, Preeti has tried to generate income by making necklaces sold at a mere INR 170 for 12 pieces. It takes her a month to make and sell them. With such a weak source of income, Preeti could barely send her elder child to school. When we spoke to her, she didn’t know how to manage schooling for the second child. Her parents do odd jobs at a school nearby to sustain their living and, therefore, cannot support her much financially.
Since she knew how to tailor and mend clothes, SNUF gifted her a sewing machine to increase her livelihood prospects. As one can see in the tweet below, she was grateful for receiving the support.
SNUF works with several disadvantaged women from vulnerable Hindu families by providing them with the tools and resources they need to lead dignified lives. Many women like Preeti need support to unleash their full potential and become self-sufficient.
Recently, SNUF received the Sree Narayana Guru Award for Social Work on September 15, 2023. The award, presented at the Pondy Lit Fest, recognised SNUF’s outstanding efforts in rehabilitating vulnerable people who have endured profound hardships. Furthermore, the foundation has played a vital role in supporting tribal and Dalit refugees from Pakistan by offering them immediate shelter and sustenance and establishing educational centres where hundreds of refugee children receive free education.
Preeti Patel is a single mother of two. She makes bead necklaces for a living, which earn her only Rs 170 for 12 pieces. They take half-a-month to make
