Sushma tweets to Akhilesh, asks him to help Agra’s Russian ‘bahu’ on dharna

A day after reports of a Russian woman protesting outside her Indian mother-in-law’s house in Agra, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj sought the Uttar Pradesh chief minister’s intervention into the matter on Sunday.

Swaraj tagged Akhilesh Yadav in a tweet on Sunday afternoon, asking him to help Olga Efimenkova who has been sitting on a dharna since Saturday, seeking her husband’s share in his family’s property.

Olga and Vikrant Singh Chandel lived in Goa with their young son until recently. They moved back to Agra, Chandel’s hometown, after their business ran into losses.

However, the couple, who married in 2011, were not allowed inside the house as Vikrant’s mother, Nirmala Chandel, had gifted the property to her daughter who runs a school there.

Agitated over the circumstances, Olga settled herself at the doorstep of her in-laws in Indrapuri, demanding Vikrant’s share, supported by him.

Read | Russian ‘bahu’ on dharna against Indian ‘saas’ for property share

The Russian ‘bahu’ said she had informed the New Agra police and the Russian Embassy of her predicament. However, the Agra police refused to file a complaint as the matter was a family dispute over property.

Nirmala has maintained that she gave Vikrant money and gifted the house to her daughter, who is estranged from her husband.

“My daughter runs a school on the premises. I have already given Rs 11 lakh to Vikrant. Now I have nothing left with me to give to him,” she said, adding that her son and daughter-in-law have not cared about her. She also alleged that they spent their money on gambling and liquor. Nirmala lives in a single room in the same house.