KOCHI: As dust gets thick in the air and demolition of flats in Maradu draws near, tears well up in Shanthamma Pillai’s eyes frequently. The life of the 90-year-old has never been this desolate. Like a cruel irony, the nonagenarian, who personally met Mahatma Gandhi during the Independence movement, is on the verge of being pushed to the street as the world around her celebrates 150th Gandhi Jayanti on Wednesday.
“We hoped for a change in fate when we entered into this apartment in 2011. Both my daughter and I are widows and we thought we could live here until my death. We sold off our ancestral properties and put in our savings for the flat. I’ve seen a lot of people and places during my lifetime, but never had an inhumane phase like this,” she said.
Shanthamma, who now lives with her daughter Maya Prem Mohan, rues the corrupt system — completely opposite to what Gandhi had stood for — for their fate.“With each passing day, people are becoming selfish and mean. The politicians need us only during elections. And the judges have lost their humane feelings. The ministers and officials should’ve done their duties without malpractice. I was born in Karunagappally in the erstwhile Travancore state ruled by the king. The officials were clean and always ready to serve the public. Now, the democratic leaders are shelling out money to get into power. Given a chance, I would’ve asked the SC judges why did they put us in this situation,” said Shanthamma, fuming. She has been struggling with respiratory ailments for years now. “My condition has worsened with cold and dust. Ever since I had fractured my spinal chord, I’ve been confined to the walls of the apartment. I would be very lucky if I die before leaving the apartment,” she said.
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Shanthamma still reminisces the days when she saw the prominent leaders. “There was a Lalaji memorial public library near my home. I was only eight back then. Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru and Aruna Asaf Ali used to visit the place during their journey as part of the independence movement. As I was very small, elders often used to prompt me to gift them flowers. The memories are still fresh,” said Shanthamma.