Braveheart wants a job,govt offers R-Day award

The award includes a medallion,a certificate signed by the Union Home Minister and a cash prize of Rs 30,000. It is presented to the winner through the state government.

Shamshad is happy that his bravery is being recognised,but he wishes the government would keep its promise and give him a job. He supports a family of six by running a roadside garment stall in Alambagh.

The youth,with his sister Shahnaz Bano,rescued plywood trader Ajay Gupta from the clutches of over a dozen kidnappers on May 10,2009.

Shamshad was on his way to a temple near his home in Moti Nagar when he saw the gang dragging Ajay into their car. He pulled him Ajay out,and the businessman ran and took shelter in the temple while Shamshad and Shahnaz Bano engaged the kidnappers in a scuffle. The kidnappers opened fire but,luckily,Shamshad got away with minor injuries.

Shamshad was showered with praise and offers of financial help. The then Governor TV Rajeshwar and then DGP Vikram Singh met him and promised him a government job. But since he was a Class X dropout,he was told he could get only a Class IV job.

Shamshad said BSP general secretary Akhilesh Das Gupta had also promised free admission for his younger brother Jamshed in his engineering college and that he would bear the expenditure for Shahnaz’s marriage.

However,all that Shamshad got from the government was Rs 25,000 for his medical treatment.

“I wrote several letters to the governor,reminding him of the assurance of a government job,but nothing has been done,” said Shamshad.

He said he had also tried to meet the governor a few times,but the staff did not allow him. Lok Sabha member PL Punia wrote a letter to the governor,reminding him about the assurance. Following that,in March this year,then special secretary to Governor M Devraj wrote to the principal secretary,home,for action. Shamshad got a copy of that letter,but no further communication.