A Matter of Dishonour

A decorated war veteran is out on the streets as corrupt politicians and colluding government officers demolish his home.

- Niranjan Takle

Last Republic Day, something unprecedented took place outside the Nashik district collector’s office. Hundreds of tribals from Trimbakeshwar, a nearby temple town famous for Kumbh Mela, assembled outside the gate, asking for a chance to enter the premises and salute the national flag. They had assembled to protest against the treatment meted out by local government officials to Ramrao Londhe, an ex-serviceman, who displayed exemplary valour in the 1971 India-Pakistan war. The police, however, used brutal force to disperse the crowd.

Londhe, who lost his father when he was six, joined the Army in 1970, at the age of 19. He was posted in the Barmer sector in Rajasthan when the Bangladesh liberation war broke out a year later. On the night of December 13, 1971, his company was ordered to capture a Pakistani post. Despite stiff resistance from enemy forces, Londhe and his fellow soldiers were successful in their mission. But Londhe sustained grievous injuries to his right hand. In recognition of his bravery, he was decorated with war medals.

“The government also gave me a plot of 135 square metres in Trimbakeshwar,” said Londhe. “After my retirement in 1986, I built a small house and an office to help ex-servicemen.” He had applied for approval to maintain the office as an extension to his house and had been paying property tax although ex-servicemen are exempt from paying property tax. Londhe has also been working as a volunteer for Shramjivi Sanghatana, an NGO working for tribal rights, founded by former MLA Vivek Pandit.