It is a rare dream which has come true for Suman, 6, and Shubham, 9, residents of a village in Bihar's Vaishali, who are undergoing treatment for polio at a hospital in Kolkata.
Their father Shashi Bhusan Mahto, from Magarhatta village in Vaishali's Hajipur, doesn't own any land. He drives an E-rickshaw for earning mere Rs 300-400 per day to meet his family's bare minimum basic needs. Hence, affording his children's treatment in Kolkata was a next to the impossible proposition for him.
The brother-sister duo is among 69 'Divyang' or specially-abled kids, who have been adopted by Minister of State for Home Affair Nityanand Rai and 15 others including Satyajit Kumar, Sharad Agarwal, Chandan Kumar, on the 69th birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year.
Contrary to what is normally identified with politics, they have proved that politics may not always be about grabbing power and indulging in a war of words with opponents, but to reaching out to the needy in the most humane manner.
Mahto recalls how his children were not only adopted but were also promised to take care of the girl's marriage.
"Both children are suffering the problems right from their birth. We got them treated from doctors in Patna ... PGI, Lucknow. But there was no improvement. Our income is little and medical expenses are too much," says Mahto.
More From This Section
Many of the children adopted by Rai and the other people are suffering from polio. Others are blind. A few of them cannot walk, while some of them are suffering from mental illness.
"I was told that the Minister will adopt disabled children below 10 years of age. So we went there and filled the form. We got to know that we were selected. It gave us a ray of hope. The Minister took us to Kolkata and treatment is being done there," he adds.
Mahto informs that his son has been referred to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He and his wife, Soni Devi, are now hopeful that their children will be cured.
"I felt pained when these two couldn't walk. It has given us hope that our children will be fine. He is like God for us," says Soni Devi in gratitude.
In fact, monthly remuneration of Rs 3,000 will also be provided to the adopted children. The amount will be credited into the bank account of their parents. For the girl children, arrangements till their marriage will be made.
Vishal Mallik, another resident of Hajipur, was able to walk till he turned one but now at 11 years of age he is crippled with polio.
Mallik's father, who had fallen prey to alcoholism, is no more and their household runs on the meagre income of his brother Santosh Kumar Mallik, a labourer.
They live in a house provided under a government-run scheme. Vishal was taken to Kolkata where the doctors advised him to undergo an operation.
His mother, Saraswati Devi, says: "We got him treated at several places. At last, Nityanand Rai took him to Kolkata. The doctor said he will be fine but needs to undergo an operation."
A visibly happy Saraswati thanked the minister for his gesture.
Six-year-old Shivam Kumar's world is a little less colourful than other children of his age as he has no vision in his left eye.
His father Laldev Paswan, a resident of Hajipur, works as a daily wager. Shivam's parents are hopeful that he will get well soon.
"We will always be thankful to the minister if our boy is able to see again," said his emotional mother.
Thanks to the efforts of the Union Minister and his team, they have ensured that from education to treatment, these adopted children will not move for the pillar to post for any help, as they have taken up the responsibility to see these children grow with all happiness.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
