Human Beings-- Saroja

Saroja

I was travelling in my car May 22, 1976 in Khammam Town of Andhra Pradesh. It was hottest day. I have seen a small child of four years sitting between parents mother & father both beggars and lepers begging. I stopped my car and found that child is the daughter of the leprosy affected beggars. I was worried that the healthy child due to constant, contact of parents may soon become a leper. I contacted my friend the Dist Collector and requested him to get the child adopted by me. He by his official’s help arranged the child to accompany me to Hyderabad with parents’ approval.

I brought her to home. My mother did not agree to adopt her. She do not want the child be in the home. I was worried. I did not take permission of my Mother before getting the child to my home. Now a new situation arises.

I contacted Smt Sangam Lakshmi Bai a Gandhian and Social Worker, who established Seva Sadan to adopt orphans deserted women to look after them educate them develop skills and rehabilitate them in their life. I approached her to help me with regards this girl. She accepted the child into her Seva Sadan Home. On her advice I changed her name from Yadamma to Saroja. (Named after a great freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu hails from Hyderabad, Bapuji contemporary and a poetess).

I started paying monthly Rs.100 to Rs.500 PM towards her expenses. Every Saturday I used to go to her hostel to meet her with fruits, biscuits, hair oil, talc powder dolls books dress etc. Child was admitted in the school. Periodically the leper parents appear in front of my house and ask the child be returned. (They want to train her as beggar) I motivate, argued, and threatened them to retain her in the hostel. Often paid some money to get them out. Smt Sangam Lakshmi Bai too felt irritated of their visit and their unruly behaviour. They demand money to go back I paid regularly. In summer I took child to parents for a week or two made her to stay with parents least she should not hate them in due course and bring her back to hostel.

Child Saroja became girl. She did her 10^th class. I got her trained as Nurse. By that time she became 21 years of age. From 4 years to 21 years I paid for her food clothes all that are needed to a growing girl. I regularly paid to parents to keep them away from taking her away and prevented to become a beggar. I got her employed in one of our AWARE Rural Hospitals in Khammam and asked her to look after her parents. She got married to a person with out my knowledge but with her parent’s consent. I have nothing against her. I felt happy that she got settled her life, parents are near by. She got two children. She took several photographs with me with her children.

After two years I receive a summons from a labour court. Complaintent is Saroja. She accused me that I did not pay her salary for two months. I am Hon. Chairman of some ten Rural Charity Hospitals. I am never in charge of day to day administration of these hospitals. Each Hospital is managed by a Medical Officer. She abstained herself for two months. Doctor terminated her. She returned and insisted for the job. As a regard for me they reinstated her on condition that her leave will be treated as loss of pay. She agreed. After four months she filed a case in the court against me and not against her medical officer claiming her salary.

This month on 16th when I received Court summons and found out details I was not shocked or pained. I sent my lawyer to the Court. With out any arguments, my lawyer paid Rs.8000 plus interest and silently came out. When my lawyer was reaching gates of the court, Saroja called him and gave a message “Ask Anna (She used to call me brother) not to feel any thing. This is the only way to take some money from him. Is he doing well? “Lawyer returned with tears abusing her. I consoled him with a smile.

Is it not matching a story of saving a scorpion from drowning?.

There was a flood. A kind man was floating on a log. A scorpion was drowned and struggling for life. With the help of a twig and a leaf he save it and brought it on the floating log, which reached the bank safely. While he was getting out of the log, the scorpion stings him. He became unconscious and people took him to near by doctor and saved him. Scorpion crawled up and ran away to near by bush.

This is one of the thousand experiences in my life.