Mauritius PM offers help to gangrape victim's kin

Even as the Delhi gang rape evoked a national outrage, the victim's family has now recieved help from international quarters. Darpan Singh reports.

Even as the Delhi gangrape evoked a national outrage, the victim's family has now recieved help from international quarters.

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The government of Mauritius has offered a seat in a medical college to one of the brothers of the Delhi braveheart. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, prime minister of Mauritius, was for long thought to be a native of Buxar (in Bihar), which borders Ballia - the native place of the gang rape victim's family. But Ramgoolam's native village has now been traced in Bhojpur district, which again is only a few kilometres from Ballia.

The victim's family was supposed to board Shramjeevi Express from Buxar for New Delhi on Wednesday but had to postpone the trip as a representative from Mauritius' Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, named after the current prime minister's father, visited them. Later, a local politician arranged air tickets to Delhi for the family. They reached Delhi on Thursday.

"He (the representative) offered financial help and offered a seat at the college to one of us. He also got Papa to talk to either the PM or the vice-PM of Mauritius. The government there offered condolences and said the incident has shocked people in Mauritius as well," the elder brother said.

"I didn't study Biology in Intermediate. They have chosen my younger brother, who will give his class 10 board exams around March. They have given a written commitment with a condition that he has to secure at least 60 per cent marks in class 12," said the 20-year-old brother of the Delhi gang rape victim.

"The Delhi government has already promised an engineering seat to the elder son. My only wish left in life is to see them do well academically," the father said.

Despite December 16 and after, which snatched his daughter from him, education for the two sons is a top priority for the 53-year-old father.

"Papas keep reminding us not to ignore studies even a wee bit. He has spoken to the Mauritius government. Since Didi wanted to work for better healthcare in our ancestral village in Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, they want to give free medical education to one of us in a college there," said the brother of the victim.

"Papa tried calling Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit to expedite the delivery of help offered by her. Her officials said she was in Jaipur regarding some party meeting," he said.