New Delhi:
Magsaysay award winner and activist Sandeep Pandey has decided to return the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) achievement award along with the cash award of Rs 44,000 that was presented to him in February 2009.
In a letter to Rural Development Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, he said that he is returning the award as no action has been taken yet in a 2009 incident in which
dalit workers were beaten by the husband of a former Panchayat leader in the presence of police when the workers had come to inspect the NREGS documents related to their wages.
The main grievances of the
dalit workers was that they had been paid less than what was due to them. However, they were beaten up mercilessly by a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) office-bearer.
Incidentally, the activist is returning the award on a day when Congress is celebrating 5 years of NREGA.
Following is the letter written by acdtivist Sandeep to the Rural Development Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh:
To: Honourable Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh
Minister for Rural Development
Government of India, New Delhi
Dated: 2nd February, 2011
From: Sandeep Pandey
A-893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016
Telephone: 0522 2347365, Mobile: 9415022772
e-mail: ashaashram@yahoo.com
Sub: Returning the NREGS achievement award along with the Rs. 44,000 amount that was presented on 2nd February, 2009.
Respected Deshmukh ji,
As written to your predecessor Sh. C.P. Joshi on 22nd November, 2010, and to you on 25th January, 2011, I am hereby returning the NREGS achievement award along with the Rs. 44,000 amount that was presented to me by Smt. Sonia Gandhi on 2nd February, 2009, as no action has been taken yet in the incident involving beating of workers on 14/1/09 by husband of a (former) Gram Pradhan, Ghanshyam, in the presence of police and irregularities in the Panchayat account of Aira Kake Mau, Block Bharawan, Dist. Hardoi, U.P., including withdrawl of Rs. 6,20,000 by Ghanshyam in his name.
I apologize for any inconvenience caused due to my decision.
Sincerely,
(Sandeep Pandey)
Encl.: Cheque No. 100513, dated 1/2/2011, for Rs. 44,000 in the name of Ministry of Rural Development (Govt. of India) from Asha Trust.