Mission comes to the end of convicts' children

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 19: Malda Ramkrishna Mission has sanctioned financial assistance and provided shelter for boys and girls for studying primary and upper primary level. These boys and girls have come to Malda RKM through correctional homes because their fathers are languishing in various jails at Behrampur, Alipore and Cooch Behar. The Malda RKM chief Swami Divyananda Maharaj took the responsibility of the children while visiting the jails and admitted them in schools. Raj Kumar Das and Bistu Mudi are studying in class VII and VI respectively in Badalmoni High School in English Bazaar town with the help of the Malda RKM. Their fathers are in Beherampore central jail and are serving life imprisonment sentences. In the same way Ranjit Murmu is studying in class IV at Malda RKM's Shishu Bhawan while Pradip Bhaskar is receiving education at Mathabanga RKM's Seba Sadan. Ranjit's sisters Aloka and Sanoka have been engaged in Sarada Ashram in Horwah for vocational training. The fathers of these children have been convicted for life in connection with robbery and murder and they were helpless, the Swami said. He also said Malda RKM has also launched a system of yearly stipend for such students in Malda and north Dinajpur. Primary-level students will get Rs 500 while high school students will get Rs 1,000 per year. Interestingly, after observing the social work of Divyananda, Mohammed Anaur Islam came to Malda RKM yesterday and donated Rs 500 to RKM's relief fund. According to Swami Divyananda, Anaur (25), is a teacher at a private madrassa in Kolkata. But a few months back he was in Balurghat and Malda jail for committing various crimes. He was even beaten up severely by local residents at Hyderpur in English Bazaar town for stealing and admitted to Malda District Hospital. A cleric from Sahapur in Old Malda urged Divyananda to save Anaur so that police cannot send him to jail again. “The cleric engaged him in a Madrasa. Now he earns Rs 2,500 per month and came to donate Rs 500 for the organisation,” Swami Divyananda said.