Kolkata, Sep 1 (IANS) An elderly woman on Tuesday stopped West Bengal Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari’s, car in Madhyamgram of North 24 Parganas district and complained to him about not receiving her old age allowance. After meeting the woman, the Chief Minister asked the party’s district president to send all of the elderly woman’s documents to his office.

Following this, Swapna Das, the elderly woman from Madhyamgram, blessed Suvendu Adhikari by placing her hand on his head.

After attending a programme, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s convoy had just reached Jessore Road on Tuesday morning. At that moment, 68-year-old Swapna Das was standing in the middle of a crowd of BJP Mahila Morcha workers.

She lives in a rented accommodation in a one-room house in Srinagar area of ​​Madhyamgram. Before the Chief Minister’s convoy picked up speed, she started moving towards the convoy, saying ‘Baba darao (stop), Baba darao’. Hearing her call, the Chief Minister stopped the car. As soon as the window glass was rolled down, the old woman reached the car.

The Chief Minister addressed her and said, “Maa, tell me what you want to say?” The old woman said, “I don’t get the money from Annapurna Bhandar”. In response, the Chief Minister said, “You won’t get the money from Annapurna Yojana but under the Baddhokhya Bhata old age pension scheme. I will make all the arrangements for your allowance under the old age pension scheme.”

Hearing this, the elderly woman touched the Chief Minister’s head and blessed him and said, “I don’t get money, I get you, Baba, my heart is filled.”

The Chief Minister then ordered the party’s Barasat Organisational District President Rajib Poddar, who was standing nearby, to send all the documents related to the Baddhokhya Bhata to her. A smile appeared on her face after touching the Chief Minister’s head and blessing him.

It is learnt that 68-year-old Swapna Das lives in the area adjacent to the Srinagar market in ward number eight of Madhyamgram Municipality. Her husband left her 12 years ago. She has an only son, Shubhajit Das (31). He has passed his M.A. but has not got any job.

However, unfortunately now Shubhajit is very ill and is completely bedridden. A relative of Swapna helps them financially. That somehow helps the mother and son get through their days.

She hoped that getting old age allowance would solve some of their problem. However, despite repeated applications to the municipality, there was no use.

Today, the old woman came there after hearing that Suvendu Adhikari was coming to Madhyamgram. She was standing in front of the exit of the meeting venue, wanting to meet the Chief Minister and tell him about her helplessness. The police personnel in charge of the Chief Minister’s security did not allow her to enter there as she did not have an invitation letter for the event. Finally, as the Chief Minister’s convoy left, the old woman raised her hand from the crowd and kept moving forward.

The old woman is happy that the Chief Minister has listened to her and assured her of help. In response to questions from reporters, she said, “I told the Chief Minister about the old age allowance. He assured me that he would make arrangements. I was able to bless him. I am overwhelmed by that. I hope the Chief Minister will do better.”

–IANS

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