Freedom fighter's sacrifices go unrecognised

KANPUR: Devi Prasad Rahi, freedom fighter, an octogenarian gets nostalgic as he recounts his tales of freedom struggle. He suffers from amnesia and is a cardiac patient and also suffers from several other ailments. From 1996, he had 11 cardiac arrests and four since last Diwali.
But Rahi throughout his life never sought any help from government. But when his family member heard the case of Laxmi Panda of Orissa (a girl and INA activist who being a minor at time of struggle was not arrested and was recently honoured by President of India) they decided to seek recognition for Rahi.
His son Prashant says, "Initially we thought that only those persons who were jailed during freedom struggle were eligible for benefits.But after Panda's case, we decided to pursue the case."
His family members tell a story, "In 1975, during an occasion, governor of UP was impressed by his oratory and ordered officials to felicitate him. District officials in turn gave authority to Rahi to choose from about 11 posh bungalows in city for his residence. But he decided to overlook the offer."
On 9 August, 1942 when Gandhji started Quit India movement, he was leading a student's group in Balrampur district of UP. Bates, an Englishman provoked the students and said, "Gandhi tumko dokha deta hain." On this students turned violent and in turn were brutally caned by police. The scars of lathicharge are still visible on his lower lips. Incidentally Rahi was never jailed.
He was a Hindi teacher for several years in a college. Rahi is a poet par excellence and has shared dais with Suryakant Tripathi Nirala, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar and other leading luminaries of Hindi literature. Gopal Das Niraj, the famous poet was his close friend. He has written six books out of which 'Jyoti Jawahar' is taught in curriculum of UP Board.
His family seeks recognition and financial support from government for his literary feats and contribution to Independence Struggle. His wife says,"Our every visit to hospital during his cardiac attacks cost us Rs 40,000. This is very taxing for us as when Elgin Mill closed in 1989, my son was laid off and has been jobless for two decades. The family runs on pension of Rahi and salary of our daughter-in-law who is a teacher in a school."
His family member says that he should not turn out to be another Nirala who struggled all his life but now is revered everywhere.