VASCO
In an unusual incident, a number of residents from Ward 7 in Baina led by social worker Jai Prakash Amonkar agitated on the road to demand justice for an octogenarian woman in the area, after her daughter-in-law has been accused of abusing her and depriving her of rights to her house.
The residents were also accompanied by President of Mormugao Taluka Senior Citizens Forum Anil Chodankar, who has been pursing the case with authorities.
Speaking to reporters, the 80-year-old woman said she had been staying in their house at Baina along with her husband and two children, a son and daughter.
"My son and daughter got married and over the years, my husband, son and daughter passed away. My daughter-in-law has taken over the house in her name and I am forced to stay in a small portion in the house which has a leaking roof,” said the elderly woman.
“I am being helped by Jai Prakash Amonkar who has even got the roofing covered with tarpaulin. I want the house belonging to my husband transferred to my name so that I can die in my house and after my death, the family members can take it over.”
Social worker Jai Prakash Amonkar alleged that the woman was being beaten up by her daughter-in-law and grandson.
“It is very sad that a senior citizen has to go through such trauma at this age. We want justice for her because despite the house tax being on her husband's name, it was transferred to her daughter-in-law's name in a fraudulent manner,” said Amonkar.
“By law, the house should have been transferred in her name after her husband's death and this has not happened. We want to warn that we will not take this lightly and take a bigger agitation to the offices of the authorities if the action is not reversed immediately."
“This elderly woman has been beaten up and her name was even deleted from the voting list to ensure that her pension is stopped by claiming that she was dead. We have got her name registered again in the voters list and even got her pension restarted.”
“How can she be forced to stay in a small corner of such a huge house and in the most inhumane ways, when the entire house belongs to her?”
Amonkar said they would fight till all the wrong procedures are reversed and the house is given back to her.
“The Mormugao Municipal Council must also check for all illegal procedures adopted and manipulation done because the house belonging to her husband is directly transferred to her daughter-in-law’s name by bypassing other people," Amonkar added.
