‘My land gave me confidence to move on’ – ActionAid India
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‘My land gave me confidence to move on’

Published on: Tuesday, 7th March 2017

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She is young not more than 28 years. But Phula Naik had to go through a lot being a divorcee. She is however happy and a spark of confidence can now be seen in her face. After getting a piece of land on her name, she has started her life afresh.

Phula who belongs to a Dalit Community got married at the age of 20. But within a month her married life faded away and she got separated from her husband in the presence of community leaders. After separation her husband Prafulla Naik married another woman and divorced her too.

“He was not a good person. He destroyed the life of two girls. He should be punished. But due to our poverty I could not take any action. During the separation, he gave back Rs. 10,000 – the amount he received from our family as dowry,” Phula says.

Now Phula is living with her farther. They are four sisters and one brother. All other sisters have got married. In between her mother has died. The livelihood of Phula is maintained by her elder brother. The total member of family is father, elder brother and his wife and their 2 sons. Phula feels, she is the extra burden on them.

Her brother denied to divide the piece of homestead land and very small quantity of agricultural land with his divorced sister. Phula also did not demand because she feels it will be injustice as the brother is talking care of her.

A ray of happiness was experienced when she received patta of 25 decimal homestead land near by her village Karasing, from Tahasildar through active support of ActionAid. Now Phula dreams to construct a small house in her land. But due to controversy in this plot nobody has moved to that place. All patta receivers including Phula have informed IIC, Bugada and Tahasildar regarding their issue. But till now the case has not been solved.

She is a daily labourer. She has confidence to maintain her house but unable to construct. She expects to get an IAY or any special support to construct a house. She is illiterate but wants to live in dignity. She is not a favour of remarriage as she fears that there may be repetition of desertion.