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Sudevi Dasi regrets she didn’t thank Swaraj in person while there was still time
The former external affairs minister came to the German cow activist’s aid when her visa extension was rejected earlier this year
The former external affairs minister came to the German cow activist’s aid when her visa extension was rejected earlier this year
German cow activist Friederike Irina Bruning, popularly known as Sudevi Dasi, and Russian national Olga Efimenkova, married to an Indian citizen, have one thing in common. They were both helped by former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in difficult times. While Olga thanked Swaraj through the media back in 2016, Sudevi Dasi feels that she should have met the former minister and expressed her gratitude in person when there was still time.
These two women are among the many who benefited through the compassionate and swift decision-making of the veteran politician who passed away due to a massive heart attack at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, late on Tuesday night.
Talking about the much loved departed leader, who was cremated in Delhi on Wednesday, Padma Shri Sudevi Dasi, 61, who runs the Radha Surabhi Goshala (cow shelter) in Vrindavan, said that she repented not having been able to meet Swaraj and thanking her in person.
The cow activist found herself in a tough spot earlier this year, when her online application for visa extension was rejected. Her visa was expiring on June 25 and she was worried that it would disrupt her work at the cow shelter.
“Her timely help made it possible for me to continue with my mission to serve cows in the land of Krishna -- that too without having to ask for it. I will always feel that I failed in my duties, as I could not meet Sushma Swaraj, the then foreign minister of India, and communicate my gratitude to her,” said Sudevi Dasi.
“Although I did not receive any personal communication in this regard, I was told from reliable sources that Sushma Swaraj ji had come to know about my issue and had instructed the officials concerned to resolve it. She came to my assistance when I needed it the most,” she said.
“I broke into tears when I heard about her demise. Despite being a senior minister, she had a heart to help anyone who needed it. It means a lot when you are far away from home and find someone standing for your cause,” said an emotional Sudevi Dasi.
Another foreign national in India who was rescued by Swaraj’s kindness is Olga Efimenkova of Russia.
It was in 2016 that Olga married Vikrant Singh Chandel of Agra and found herself in the midst of a family dispute when her mother-in-law did not allow her to enter the house. Olga sat on a hunger strike outside the house in the New Agra locality.
Swaraj immediately urged Akhilesh Yadav , the then UP chief minister, to intervene in the matter. While a case was registered at the New Agra police station, the cops also tried to convince Olga’s mother-in-law to change her mind.
Swaraj later thanked Akhilesh for his “swiftness” in resolving the issue and facilitating understanding between the Indian mother-in-law and her Russian ‘bahu’.
Convener of Hindustan Biradari, a group that works to promote communal harmony, Shiraj Qureshi also condoled Swaraj’s death. Recollecting her visit to Agra and her positivity in removing the hurdles that some members of the Muslim community were facing while trying to go for ‘Haj’, Qureshi said, “She extended all help to eliminate the hurdles in the path of Muslims intending to go for ‘Haj’. It will be tough to find such a leader again.”
The former foreign minister’s last visit to Taj city was four months ago, on April 8, this year. She attended a programme in Singna village of Agra in which she interacted with members of the BJP IT Cell and guided them. Later, she travelled to Mathura.
She had also travelled to Mathura in 2013 to visit the village of Lance Naik Hemraj, beheaded by Pakistan’s Border Action Team in January that year, and meet his widow.
